


One, Two, Three... FIRE!

by IfYouLikePinaColadas31000



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: Also Billy is a bit grumpy, And Teddy is a cute fanboy, Fireman!Teddy, Gay Romance, M/M, Model!Tommy, Past Teddy Altman/Greg Norris, Phyla is an awesome sister, Smut in future chapters, Steve is a great father figure, Writer!Billy, past emotional abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-17
Packaged: 2018-05-10 19:32:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 71,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5598130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IfYouLikePinaColadas31000/pseuds/IfYouLikePinaColadas31000
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Billy is a writer who lacks inspiration, and who doesn't like being in public. His best friend and boss, Kate Bishop manages to drag him out of his apartment, helped by her boyfriend Tommy Shepherd-who is also Billy's twin brother, and deadly afraid of meeting his in-laws-to attend a party for the opening of the new fire station so her father will leave her alone. There, Billy meets a fan, a handsome fireman named Teddy, who is obviously very excited to meet one of his favorite writers. So, of course Billy agrees to meet him again to sign some of his books...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write something a bit more uplifting after my first attempt at fanfiction. So here it is. A very big thank you to Laura, my beta reader. She's amazing <3
> 
> Also, happy new year :D

Billy was staring at the blank page on his computer screen, his glasses sitting on the top of his head. He sighed heavily and got up, walked to the kitchen and pourred himself another cup of coffee before he went to stand in front of the window of his little loft, watching the traffic jam.

It had been nine months since the publishing of his last novel and, sadly for him, he was suffering from a serious case of writer's block that left him doubting his talent, even if his publisher and best friend Kate assured him he was a good writer.

Of course, she also meant : " Get a fucking hold of yourself, Kaplan, and write me another novel or I'll be forced to end our partnership."

The young man sighed and ran a hand in his already messy hair, knocking his glasses off. They fell on the floor. He looked down and rolled his eyes, cursing at them. It was the only words that seemed to form in his mind lately. Curses. He snickered at his own ridiculousness and rubbed his face, his stubble scratching the skin of his hands as he felt a wave of weariness surge through his body.

It was a good thing his three previous books were still in the top 20 list of this year's best sellers, otherwise he would be in big trouble. He finished his cup of coffee and picked up his glasses before he slammed his laptop shut. He was not going to write anything down this morning.

The young man rubbed his face again and looked at the clock, groaning when he noticed how late it was already, and decided to go for a walk. He could still eat out, and have a Starbucks while sitting in Central Park. It always managed to inspire him, even so slightly. He brushed his teeth, ignoring the image the mirror was reflecting, as if to remind him he was stuck with it. As if he did not already know. Messy black hair he did not bother styling, two slightly red rimmed (because of all the time spent staring at the computer screen) big brown eyes (just plain brown, not even a cool or pretty shade like chocolate or amber, just. Plain. Brown.), ears that looked elf-like in their shape (at least to him, and not Legolas-like. More Dobby-like, but maybe he was exagerating.) and a fit but (too) slender build.

Ten minutes after, Billy was out in the street, adjusting his long red scarf around his neck. He hated November, it was all cold and winter-y without the Christmas atmosphere. The young man burried his hands in his pocket, noticing how a few people seemed to stare at him and then go back to their own business and he rolled his eyes. He kept walking until he reached the subway station and he stood there, waiting and brooding until he heard a giggle and two feminine voices talking next to him.

"Oh My God. Oh. My. God. He's even hotter in person ! Did he dye his hair ? He dyed his hair !"

"Do you think he 'll take a picture with us ? My God ,he's so hot !"

Then two girls were invading his personal space and Billy took a step back, startled. He looked at them with a confused expression on his face, as they were grinning and brandishing their smartphones. They did not look older than sixteen.

"We love everything you do !" One of them said and Billy rolled his eyes, finally understanding what was going on.

"No you don't." He replied dryly and the girls' faces fell. "Unless you're talking about my books, which I doubt sincerely, you're talking about my twin brother." He added, and the girls started studying him closely with wide eyes.  


"Oh... Right." The first girl said. She put her phone back in her pocket and smiled almost shyly. "Of course you're not him. Sorry, sir." She added, before she left, dragging her friend along, away from Billy who was shaking his head. His eye caught a flash of white and he looked at the huge picture on the station wall.

"Really ?" Billy groaned as he looked at the picture in disbelief. It could have been him. They looked exactly alike. Only the man in the picture had bleached white hair and green eyes. The young man turned his back on the billboard. "Fuck you, Tommy." He muttered.

It was not that he hated his brother. Not at all. In fact, Tommy was a very fun guy to be around, but, with everyone confusing Billy for his twin, even with their different hair and eye color, the young man's patience was withering away. People always asked for pictures or autographs, even for sex sometimes, and the young man always had to explain it was not him. Sometimes people took it as a simple mistake. Sometimes they were pretty insulting. Like that time when a young woman had said "Oh right ! Sorry ! You don't really look like him in fact. I mean, the hair, the way you dress and walk...I kinda thought you were on a bad day. I mean..." And that had stuck with Billy for a long time. He knew he looked like his brother, only if he were a hobo or something.

They were the exact opposites of each other. Tommy was outgoing and cool, Billy was quiet and awkward. Billy was discrete, Tommy had to be noticed. Tommy was fun and laughed all the time, Billy was grumpy and brooding. Billy was gay, Tommy was straight.

The young man was sitting in Central Park with a Starbucks coffee in his hand. He was sipping it while watching the trees, and the people walking by, sometimes with their dogs. An elderly woman shot him a death stare, and Billy realized he might be looking like a creep, so he got up and started walking, thinking of his characters and the situation he left them in. He groaned. He really had no idea on how to get them out of this.

Usually, walking around the city helped him. But now his ideas seemed to turn into smoke whenever he felt like he was going to grasp them. Reading comics helped too, until he could not afford them anymore. His very last pennies went into rent and food. But if he did not hurry and write another book, then he would have to go back to live with his parents. Or end up on the street.

A few hours after his walk, and still no new ideas, Billy went back to his apartment. His door was already opened and he sighed, before entering.

"Finally !" His twin brother greeted him, a beer in hand. As always, Tommy looked handsome, even with his hair as messy as Billy's. He was dressed in expensive clothes that outlined his body, and his orange sunglasses were resting in his lap.

"Hello Tommy ! Sure come on in ! Sure ! Help yourself !" Billy grumbled as he removed his scarf and coat.

"Well, aren't you a ray of sunshine today." A girl said. Billy turned his face to look at her. A hint of a smile appeared on his face.

"Hi Kate." He greeted her, as she hugged him tightly.

"Hey ! How come you seem more happy to see her than me ?" Tommy asked in a fake hurt tone. Billy smirked and threw his scarf at Tommy.

"Because you're my brother. I'm supposed to hate you." He replied, winking. Tommy stuck his tongue out to him.

"Anyway, we came here because I have a favor to ask you." Kate said, blushing slightly. Tommy grimaced.

"Wow, very gentle way to announce things." He grumbled. Billy squinted and looked at the young woman dead in the eyes, crossing his arms.

"What is it ? What have you two invented again?" He asked, noticing how Tommy was trying to hold back from laughing, his hands behind his head as if he was going to watch something interesting. Billy didn't like it, he kept looking at Kate and Tommy, trying to decypher their expressions. Kate avoided his gaze. Tommy seemed to have a blast.

"I need you to be my date tomorrow night. Remember that my father helped finance the building of the new fire station ? Well, the Mayor is throwing a party for the opening tomorrow. There's going to be everyone."

Billy's eyes went wide, feeling surprised and confused and somehow he did not like this idea.

"You know I hate being in public Kate. Besides, why don't you bring Tommy ? He's your boyfriend." He groaned, closing himself and backing away towards the kitchen. Kate followed him quickly with Tommy on her heels.

"My boyfriend doesn 't want to come. He's got better things to do, apparently." The young woman bitched, her face cold as she stared Billy's twin down. It did not seem to bother him at all because he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.

"Besides, I'm not the tux wearing type." Tommy announced flatly. Billy snorted and turned to look at his brother.

"Says the guy who does ads for Hugo Boss !" He hissed. "No, really Kate, you can't possibly ask me that ! I never went to that kind of party. I'll probably make a fool of myself and embarass you as soon as we're going to walk in the door !" He ran a hand through his hair, which got even more messy. "And did I mention I hate being in public ? You know I don't speak the human language !"

Billy was stuck in a weird position, as if he had stopped shrugging in the middle of the process. His head was tucked in his shoulders and his hands strangely opened at elbows height.

"Yes, you mentionned it already, and yes I'm asking you to go out with me. You'll do fine ! I just want to bring someone with me so my dad will leave me alone. Please ?" She gave him puppy dog eyes. Billy rubbed his face with both hands and turned his back on her. She knew he couldn't deny her anything when she did that.

"Even if I said yes, I have nothing to wear." He groaned, and Kate beamed behind his back, punching the air, knowing she had won.

"I've got it covered." Tommy announced, shoving his hands in his pockets. "We're the same built. I can lend you a suit. We'll need to do something about your hair though." He decided, looking at his brother's head. Billy turned around and faced Tommy and Kate with anger in his eyes.

"You already had everything sorted out !" He realized, and they both shrugged.

"You'll need to shave your stubble too." Kate announced. And Billy lost it.

"Out. The both of you." He growled, as he went back to the living room. He opened the door and waited for them to get out. Tommy was laughing.

"I'll be there tomorrow to get you ready." He told Billy, and he swiftly dodged the swat aimed at the back of his head.

"Eight o'clock. I'll pick you up." Kate told him before she kissed his cheek. She then went away. Billy stood there, his eyes narrow, and closed his door. He loved Kate very much. She was the best of friends. But things had to go her way, and of course, she always got what she wanted. When the girl had her eye on the target, you could be sure she would hit bull's eye. She probably would have dragged Billy there if she had too. Even if he had said no.

The young man spent the rest of his evening scrolling through Netflix, catching up on his favorite shows, with a little voice in his head screaming that he should be writting instead. It was barely nine when Billy said « Fuck you » to the world and went sleeping.

***

"You want me to turn this into something presentable ?"

The voice startled Billy, who woke up completely confused. He opened is eyes and saw a blonde young woman with light blue eyes leaning towards him as if she was studying his face. He croaked and leaped away from her, falling out of his bed, landing ungracefully on his ass.

  
" What the..." The young man croaked, before noticing Tommy behind the blonde woman. There was one thing about Billy. He was not a morning person, and he felt fury boil inside him before exploding. He jumped on his feet and got in Tommy's face before pushing him.

"I gave you that key for emergencies ! Not to bring the whole city of New York with you all the time !"

Tommy had the decency of looking surprised, and maybe a bit scared. He then gazed at Billy from head to toe and he snickered.

  
"Well, you really do look like shit in the morning !" He pointed out with a mocking grin. Billy's hair was messier than it usually was, and his pillow left traces all over his face. The young man clenched his jaw and his hands turned to fists.

"Get out, or you'll look as bad as me. It would be a shame if your nose got broken, uh, Mister Supermodel ?" Billy threatened, and he was serious. Tommy might have sensed it too because he rose his hands in surrender.

"I told you I'd come by to get you ready for tonight." Tommy said. "And, don't take it personally but we have a lot of things to do to get you there."

The blonde woman looked at Tommy, scowling.

  
"I wouldn't say that. Sure we've got work but he's actually pretty hot. Maybe hotter than you, but it's my thing for dark haired guys talking." She then offered her hand to Billy, who turned a grumpy face towards her."I'm Cassie, Tommy's hairdresser." She introduced herself. The young man shook her hand.

"Why did you bring her again ? No offence." He asked, crossing his arms. Cassie shook her head, showing she did not care about it. Tommy glanced at Billy as if he had gone crazy.

"Do you honestly think you can attend tonight's party with this dead animal you dare calling 'my hair' on your head ? With Kate as your date ?" Tommy shook his head. "No way in hell, man."

Billy smiled defiantly, his eyes never leaving the other young man, and ran his hand through his hair, which was now looking like something had exploded in it.

  
"Then you go with her." He retorted, his eyes shotting dagger at his twin.

"Told you. I'm not into that kind of parties. So I'm taking you out. haircut time. And we need to get you something to wear." The white haired young man said. "Believe it or not, hoodies are overrated."

Billy grunted, suddenly looking miserable. He shrugged, reminding himself he was doing it for Kate.

  
"Let me shower first." He requested, as Tommy started telling him the details of 'their' plan.

"Whatever. Just don't wash your hair." His twin replied, leaving Billy's bedroom to go sit on his couch.

"I'll do it before I give you a haircut." Cassie filled Billy in, who was stuck in confusion again. He opened his mouth to say something but she pushed him towards his bathroom. "No more talking. Go shower. I promise you'll be hotter than your brother once I'm done with you." She announced, checking him out shamelessly.

"Not a chance !" Tommy's voice exclaimed from the living room, as Billy blushed bright red under Cassie 's stare. He quickly escaped towards the bathroom, locking the door behind himself. Sighing, the young man got naked and hopped in the shower, quickly washing his body. He then dried himself, brushed his teeth and went back to his room with a towel around his waist to get some clothes. Cassie was still in his room, and he quickly put his arms around his torso to cover himself.

  
"Oh, don't mind me. » She said, grinning as she oggled his body.  


"Tommy ! Can you please stop your friend from perving on me please ?" Billy called out, frozen in place as Cassie licked her lips. His twin brother came to the room and stared at Billy with a surprised look on his face.

"You've been working out ?" He asked. "Where's the skinny you ?"

"Me likey." Cassie said in a joking tone, winking at Billy, and Tommy snorted, quickly recovering from the unexpected abs on his brother's body, before pulling Cassie out of the room so Billy could get dressed.

The young man was slipping his socks on when he heard an outburst coming from the kitchen.

"What do you mean he's all about the dick ???"

And he burried his face in his hands. He was so going to murder Tommy. A few minutes later, he joined his brother and Cassie in the kitchen, fully dressed and with his faded pair of converse in hand. Cassie shook her head, and dropped her chin in her hand.

« What a waste. » She muttered. Tommy shot her a warning look and she shut her mouth.

Billy gave her a apologizing look.

  
"Yeah. I'm gay. Very, very gay." He mumbled. The girl smiled and put her hand on his forearm, a reassuring look on her face.

"It's okay, I was joking anyway. But, gosh. You really are hotter than Tommy, and I've seen him totally naked." She whispered, but loud enough so the other young man would hear. Billy made a disgusted face.

"I'm gonna have to wash my brain with bleach to forget this image." He grumbled, and Cassie giggled.

"So, haircut time !" Tommy announced, throwing Billy his coat and scarf. The young man grumbled and quickly put them on.

"I hope you realise I can't pay for something like that." He warned in a low tone, hopping Cassie would not hear him. "So whatever you've planned, I won't be able to follow. I... I'm having a rough time with my books." He confessed, shame painting his features as he avoided his brother's look. Tommy's eyebrows shot up as he tried to catch Billy's eyes. He sighed and scratched his nose.

"What's wrong this time ? What made you lose your juju ?" He asked. Billy simply shrugged. The white haired young man sighed again. "I think I know. When is the last time you got laid ?" He asked, very seriously, but his twin brother hissed.

"Fuck you."

Billy then turned his back on him and grabbed his keys and his (empty) wallet. True, he had not gotten laid in months. But it was not like there were many guys who wanted a piece of him. But then again maybe it was his fault. He had shut himself in for a little while now. He then exited his apartment, Cassie and Tommy behind him. His brother caught up on him and grabbed his arm.

"I'm sorry okay ? I didn't mean to hurt you, or make you feel uncomfortable. And don't worry about the money, I've got it covered." Billy started protesting, his cheeks burning with shame as he stuttered to convince Tommy to stop right there but the young man shook his head. "Shut your cakehole, Kaplan. Just think of it as an early Christmas present. I mean, early Hanukkah.", and they exited the building.

***

They entered Cassie's salon silently and the young woman sighed happily. She looked at Billy with a sly expression on her face.

"You're lucky. We're closed today. So I'm all yours." Tommy made himself at home and claimed an armchair. Cassie then started studying Billy's face, biting her lips and muttering to herself. "Okay. The shaggy hair suits you. A lot. But, it won't do the trick for tonight. Big mundane party and all. So, I'm going to cut your hair so it'll look clean. And then I'll fashion it into a comb over. You'll be as dashing as a Disney prince."

Billy's eyes went glassy. All this blabbering was foreign language to him. He looked at his brother, hoping he would translate, but Tommy just grinned and winked.

Cassie was rubbing her forefinger on her bottom lip, still studying Billy's face.

"But then again... The shaggy hair can't be so bad. So maybe a messy comb over ?" She thought out loud. Then she beamed. "Yeah. We'll do that." She decided, before she shoved the young man in a chair.

She washed Billy's hair, humming quietly, and, to the young man's surprise, it actually got him to relax. Once his hair clean, he moved to sit in front of a mirror. Cassie had a razor blade in her hand.

"I'm also going to shave you, sorry. But if we keep the messy, yet structured hair, you can't have this stubble. You'll look too casual."

Billy did not know what to say, so he simply nodded. He had stopped caring an hour ago anyway. But somehow, the knots in his stomach came back as soon as he started to think about the evening. So yeah, he had a little case of social anxiety, or so his mother had told him. But he was working on it. Or not.

Cassie started towelling Billy's hair, humming a gleeful tune. She took a razor blade and some shaving cream and started applying it to the young man's jaw. She shaved him thoroughly, the razor burning on Billy's skin. It felt uncomfortable, but he endured it without complaining. She wiped his chin and removed the last traces of cream. The young woman turned around and opened a cabinet, retrieving scissors and clippers. Billy tensed instantly.

  
"Clippers are a no go. You're not shaving my head." He said firmly, gripping the arms of his chair tight. Cassie giggled.

"It's just for contouring." She informed him with a wink. And with that, she got to work.

Half an hour after, the young woman finished her work. She styled his hair and took a step back. Billy gasped when he saw himself. He looked... Well he looked good. A bit younger than he would like, but he looked good. And whatever Cassie had done with his hair, which reminded him of some hairdo all the models were sporting recently, it was definitely not messy. He cocked an eyebrow.

  
"Yeah. Got carried away. Messy was not the solution actually." The young woman blushed slightly and looked down.

"It's fine. In fact, it's more than fine." Billy whispered. He was still in awe. His hair was parted ont the side and brushed back. "I look..."

"Like me. With dark hair." Tommy finished, frowning. "It's weird." His statement got his brother chuckling.

"I really don't know what to say." The young man declared, looking at Cassie.

"Get a hot fireman to give you his number, and I'll consider myself rewarded." She told him with a giggle, as Billy choked.

"I'm not getting... I'm... It's not... Fuck. I can't go." He blabbered, anxiety hitting him with full force. Tommy shot up as he started to tear off the blouse Cassie had put on him and he pushed him back in the chair.

"Breathe. It's okay. You're just going to drink a glass of champagne and be polite and smile. You'll see. You're going to have a nice evening, and then you'll thank me because I got you out of your comfort zone." He said with a smile.

"Like hell! If it's that easy, why don't you go? It's your girlfriend, Tommy, for fuck's sake!" Billy lost it and pushed Tommy. "I hate being forced to do something that makes me uncomfortable. I don't know why I said yes in the first place."

"I'm scared, okay?" Tommy shouted and Cassied took a step back, grimacing. "I'm scared of what her father will say when he knows we're dating!" The young man shouted. "There!" He went back to sit, leaving Billy gaping as his anger slowly deflated.

"Oh..." He let out. "Then why didn't you simply tell me this? Why didn't you tell her?" Billy asked softly, turning to face his twin brother.

"I didn't want her to think I'm weak or something. I know. It's fucked up." Tommy sneered. It made his brother smile. And relax completely.

"Okay. But you owe me one. The both of you." The young man stated. "And you'll talk to Kate. You have to." Cassie was nodding enthusiasticly behind him. "I'm sure her father will like you. He's a nice man. Intimidating. But nice." Billy promised. "Which remind me I need to get back to writing quickly. Before he finally decides I'm a waste of money."

"I thought Kate was your boss now?" Tommy asked, happy to change the subject.

"Her father still owns most of the society's actions." Billy explained and Tommy grimaced, sympathetic.

"Then it's time to get your juju back." He decided. "But first, you need a tux. Let's go to my place." He added. Billy nodded and got up. He looked at Cassie, feeling awkward. His wallet was empty and he could not pay her for the haircut. The young woman winked.

"On the house." She told him gently. Tommy gave her a thumbs up and Billy choked on his words, thanking her. She waved her hand. "Come on. Let's get you dressed. Time to turn you into an actual prince." She pulled him from the chair and led him outside as Tommy followed with their coats.

***

Three tuxedos after, Billy was fuming. He was standing in a robe with Cassie watching eagerly and Tommy desperately looking through his humongous dressing room.

  
"Is it really that complicated?" The young mas hissed, pissed and arm crossed. "I mean, each and every tux you made me try on were the same. I don't see what's wrong with them!"

"They don't look good. Too classic." His twin brother replied. The young man sighed angrily.

"I don't care. I just need to be dressed properly. Hurry up. My patience is reaching its limits." He bitched. "Why can't I put any of them?"

"You're going with Kate. She's gonna be splendid. You need to look good too. I don't want any of those firemen to hit on her." Tommy retorted. Billy huffed.

"I'm her date. But I'm not going to pretend she's my girlfriend. Besides, I'm sure she can handle herself. And if you don't want a fireman to hit on her, like you say, man up and go with her." Tommy groaned and went to look deeper in his closet. He picked up a garment bag, looking thoughtful. He gazed at Billy, his face full of questions.

"I wonder..." The young man mumbled. He unzipped the bag and removed the tux that was inside. "I've never worn this one. It clashes with my eyes too much." He explained as Cassie gasped when she saw what it was.

The suit was grey. The buttons looked like diamonds. The shawl lapel of the jacket was satiny, black, slightly sparkling and Billy's jaw dropped. It seemed as if a galaxy was slowly swirling in the fabric. It came with a black shirt and a black tie. The latter was satiny and slightly sparkling as well. It really looked beautiful to Billy. But the sparkly material was making him feel a little awkward. He could not help but have the impression that it would show off the fact that he was gay. And no matter how proud the young man was about it, he did not want to point it to everyone.

  
"Won't it... Make me look gay?" He asked, realising, a bit too late, how stupid he sounded.

"Dude. You're gay." Tommy replied in disbelief. "Besides, if someone thought I could rock this suit without making people question my sexuality, I think you can too. Go try it on." He urged, eager to see the result. His twin took the suit with him and went in the bathroom. He quickly put it on, careful to not rip anything as the fabric seemed very fragile. He did not even look in the mirror, convinced that he looked like a monkey and stepped out, the robe folded on his arm.

Tommy rubbed his eyes, completely taken aback.

  
"This one. That's it." Cassie said, excitment making her voice sound shrilly. Billy grimaced and looked at her like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Yeah, this one. You look perfect." Tommy had to agree, a kind smile slowly splitting his face. He fetched a pair of shoes and a belt and gave them to his twin brother. "And with that you're all set. Tonight, you're going to break many hearts." He said, making his voice tremble to fake emotion. Billy groaned and he swatted at the back of his brother's head, who laughed. "You'll see. Tonight is going to be awesome." The white haired young man promised with a final wink.

***

A few hours after, Billy was back at his apartment, getting ready. The battery of his phone was fully charged, in case he would have to call someone to get him out of there. He put his wallet and keys in the pocket of his woolen coat (Tommy had raided his wardrobe and decided it was the only thing that did not looked like rags.) and he fixed his tie. As always, he avoided his reflection in the mirrors but this time, it was more out of shyness than spite. He was still completely baffled by how good he actually looked wearing the suit.

The young man closed his laptop, still opened on an empty page and checked the hour. Kate would arrive soon and that simple thought made his pulse rise. There was no way he could turn back now. He jumped when he heard the knock on his door and went to open. Kate froze, her hand hovering in mid-air as she took in the sight before her.

"I thought Tommy was joking." She mumbled, her blue eyes wide. "My God, Billy. You look gorgeous." The young woman let her hand fall by her side, still watching Billy with awe as a dreamy smile blossomed on her face. "Gosh. You kinda make me want to be your girlfriend." She confessed sincerely, and the young man went bright red, babbling unintellegibly to thank her. Kate grabbed his arm and placed a kiss on his cheek. Billy regained composure quickly after that and he let out a nervous laugh.

  
"You're beautiful too, Kate." He told her. And it was true. Kate really looked amazing with her black hair styled in a braided bun and her make up highlighting the grey specks in her eyes. The young man smiled and pulled him out of his apartment.

"Let's go, handsome." And she led him outside of his building.

Billy spent the ride to the new station in silence. He felt like he was bracing himself before a battle, just like a charcater from one of his stories. Kate took his hand to stop him from picking at his nails and smiled softly.

"Relax. Everything is going to be fine." She promised as the taxi parked. Kate payed the driver and got out, followed by Billy, who heard the man mutter something about him not being chivalrous and the young man felt his cheeks go ablaze. Kate grabbed his arm again and they walked together towards the entrance where a crowd was waiting in front of the main doors along with a bunch of journalists, their cameras going off like fireworks. The mayor was standing next to Mister Bishop, and behind them, a group of men and women were waiting, chatting happily.

The mayor got behind the microphone and blew slightly in it, checking if it was on. A warm smile spread across his face.

"Good evening everyone. Welcome to the opening of the new fire station. I'd like to personally thank Mister Derek Bishop here, who gave more than half of the funds needed to finance the building."

A round of applause arose from the small crowd and the mayor lifted a hand to bring back silence as the journalists snapped so many pictures Billy's eyes started to water.

  
"I'm going to let the chief of station take my place. Captain Rogers, if you please." The man stepped away as the captain joined him. He looked pale and had probably lost a bit of weight, his ceremony costume seemed slightly too large for him. He said a few words to the other man, probably to thank him Billy guessed and stepped behind the microphone.  
"Wow. He looks great for a man who spent months in a coma." Kate muttered, her eyes shining with compassion.  
"What?" Billy croaked, a bit shocked, but the young woman shushed him as the captain started talking.  
"Good evening everyone. You can't imagine how happy we all are tonight. We're grateful to be given the chance to start anew with this new building. Of course we know it doesn't erase the past, but it feels like a very, very welcome band-aid."

People started clapping as the man wiped his eyes. He smiled, but it was so full of pain it actually made Billy's heart clench. Some of the people behind that were standing behind the mayor and Mister Bishop took a step forward, but the captain regained composure and took a deep breath.

"I wasn't present for the memorial in honor of our fallen comrades. We lost many friends, family even. So I plan on being here at every moment starting tonight to pay tribute to their memory." The crowd suddenly exploded in a thundering applause, Billy and Kate joining them gladly and the young woman even shed a few tears. The destruction of the former station had shocked everyone back then, caused a lot of pain and sorrow.

"Shall we?" The mayor asked Rogers, handing him a pair of scissors. The fireman nodded and took them, turning his back on the crowd and walking towards the main doors of the station, where a red ribbon was stretched. Rogers waited as the journalists surrounded them, snapping pictures, and then he cut the ribbon. Once again, the crowd applauded. Two men Billy had not noticed opened the doors. They were dressed in black, their sunglasses reflecting the flashes of the cameras. Everyone moved inside, Kate hooked her arms with Billy's and walked in.

***

  
"So, do you like it?" Kate asked, sipping from her glass of champagne. Billy eyed her knee long dark purple dress. Strapless, silky, with a black ribbon circling her waist, highlighting her body in a way that would make Tommy's head spin.

"Hm. You look amazing in it?" He attempted, his hands tight around his own glass to prevent from fidgeting. Kate's face fell and she laughed.

"Not the dress, the party." She precised, her eyes twinkling. The young man looked around, at the crowd of people chatting in small groups. He on the other hand was hovering near the buffet. He felt like a complete tool.

"It works, I guess." He replied quietly. Kate nodded and grabbed his hand.

"Come on, let's mingle with humans." She teased him gently, ignoring his grimace as she headed towards the crowd, winding through them with ease. She spotted her father talking with the mayor and smiled brightly.

"Ah! Mister Mayor, let me introduce my daughter Kate. She's the new C.E.O of Bishop Publishing. Well, acting as the C.E.O, since I plan on retiring soon." He informed. He then turned and faced Billy, who fought to keep his gaze straight. "And this is Billy Kaplan, one of our authors, and Kate's best friend." He shook the young man's hand firmly and Billy tried to relax his face and smile. The mayor extended his hand and Billy shook it.

"Ah, I see! Having relations works, uh?" He teased with a wink, which made the young man feel cold. He retrieved his hand, his brow furrowing. He felt insulted but he kept silent.

"He's actually very talented. I can't put his books down." Kate said with a big grin that was far from nice. Her father nodded in agreement.

"I must say, I'm not really into that sort of stories, but Billy has a way of creating worlds that absorb you." He said with a nod towards the young man. The mayor looked at Billy again.

"And what sort of stories does he write, pray tell?" He asked, which made Billy frown a bit more. He was on the verge of screaming 'I'm right there, hello!'

"I write fantasy. And Science Fiction." He said flatly, his hands curling into fists by his side. The mayor downed what was left of his champagne and laughed.

"Ah, it's not everyone that can be Tolstoi or Hemingway I guess. But Tolkien is not so bad, if you like fairy stories or was it elves? Whatever." Kate's father clenched his jaw, displeased as his daughter's eyebrows shot up. She grabbed Billy by the arm and walked away.

"I need a drink." He grumbled. "Screw this. I need twenty." He added, his best friend shaking her head.

"The party only started thirty minutes ago and he's drunk." She muttered in disbelief, turning her head to watch as her father tried to escape the man.

"Who's drunk?" A black guy with a deep voice asked. Kate turned around to face him and her face brightenned.

"Oh my god! Eli!" She exclaimed, going for a hug that the guy reciprocated. Billy shifted awkwardly and waited until Kate broke the hug, still smiling. "Look at you! You're gorgeous." She complimented and Eli spinned in a parody of modeling. Billy cleared his throat, and instantly blushed when Eli looked at him.

"Oh sorry. Hi, I'm Eli Bradley, an old friend of Kate's." He introduced himself, before shaking Billy's hand. Kate chuckled.

"Cut the crap Bradley. He was my boyfriend in high school. Then he moved, breaking my heart in the process." She told her best friend.

"But you don't need to worry though, I'm not going to steal her from you." Eli said, patting Billy's back in a friendly gesture. The young man snorted, biting back a laugh.

"I would be more concerned about my brother breaking your nose." He replied gently. "We're just friend. Tommy bailed." He explained and Eli grinned.

"So you're the bodyguard!" He joked and Kate slapped his arm. Billy took a step back.

"I'm gonna let you two catch up. As I said before, I need a drink. And Kate? Behave." He said before walking away, but not missing the young woman sticking her tongue out to him. He still felt slightly uncomfortable in the crowd, and even though Eli seemed like a decent guy, he was not in the mood for inner jokes he would not understand or flirting he would not be comfortable witnessing. But anyway, it was not like Kate would cheat on Tommy. They were fighting a lot, but at the end of the day, they loved each other too much. The young man sighed in relief when he reached the bar. He craved for beer, but seeing the fanciness of the party, he doubted he could get one. In the end he settled for a margarita and started sipping, letting the smooth burn of the Tequila slide in his throat to his stomach. It felt good, even though he was still in public. But maybe it was the alcohol helping him feel more at ease. He was finishing his drink when he heard a gasp followed by a deep, but soft voice.

  
"I know you." Billy turned his face towards the man. The young man was about to answer but he found himself unable to make a sound. The guy in front of him was tall and broad shouldered, he was dressed in a very elegant black suit and his vest was opened on a purple shirt, and it seemed like he had loosened his tie. His golden hair was falling into his bright blue eyes, and his smile was big and sunny. He clearly looked excited, but he seemed to realize he had surprised Billy and quickly regained composure. Once the goofy smile settled into a more civilized one, Billy took the time to study him in order to remember when and where he had met him. He was handsome, and it reminded Billy of the guys he used to have crushes on in high school. He swallowed his last sip of margarita and stared confusely at the guy. He had no idea of who he was. The latter scratched the back of his neck, an awkward but pleased smile blossoming on his face. "I, uh, I'm a big fan." he uttered, as if he was apologizing, and Billy suddenly understood.

"Oh. No. It's not me. It's my twin brother. People often mistake me for him, even with our difference of hair and eye color but he's the model, not me." He explained quickly, sorrily smiling. His face fell when he saw the guy frowning and giving him a once over. His eyes settled back on Billy's face and he cocked an eyebrow.

"Uhm... I was not talking about modelling." He started, his voice growing quieter by the second. "You're Billy Kaplan, right? The writer. I read all your books..." He finished in a whisper before turning bright red, all the way to his ears that were sporting an impressive number of silver rings and cuffs and Billy felt the raging urge to slap himself. The young man in front of him started chewing at his lips and looking right at him.

"Oh... Yeah, that's me." Billy replied, offering his hand shyly. The guy shook it a bit too enthusiasticly and he slightly grimaced.

"Sorry, I mean, it's an honor. I'm Teddy Altman." He introduced himself. Billy nodded silently, not knowing what to say. He had met many fans during signings, and it always felt weird to meet some in his everyday life. After all, the people that stopped him in the streets were mistaking him for Tommy. But that felt good, to be recognized for his own work. "I'm not crazy, I swear..." Teddy attempted. "I mean, I..."

"It's okay. Thank you." Billy cut him with a warm smile. "I'm glad you like my work. I'm not just not used to being recognized for my books. Even less with fully grown men."

_What?_

"I mean, it's not often that i meet adults that read what I write." He backpedaled, trying to fight the blush creeping on his face. What was wrong with his mouth. So he met a gorgeous guy that liked his work, and suddenly he had no filter anymore?

 _Way to go, Kaplan_ , He thought bitterly. _Now he probably knows you're gay._

But Teddy laughed, causing dimples to appear on his cheeks.

_Of course he has dimples._

  
"Are you kidding? I've never read anything that good since Tolkien!" The blonde young man told him, causing Billy to scoff.

"No one can be as good as Tolkien." He countered gently, but it truly pleased him to get praised for his work, and that kind of made him want to hug Teddy and spin him around.

And he definitely needed to stop drinking now.

  
"If you want, I can sign some of your books." He proposed, feeling like a complete tool. What was wrong with him? But Teddy lit up as if it was already Christmas.

"You would?" He asked excitedly. "I mean, yes, I want that. I mean... Gosh. I sound like such a fanboy..." He chuckled, looking down.

"It's okay. You should see me during the premiere of the new season of Game of Thrones. You'd now what a real fanboy is." Billy said to make him feel better. Because he acted completely ridiculous everytime, and since Tommy and Kate liked the show too, he drove them crazy everytime.

"Let's just say I'm usually better at containing my emotions. But then again, I've never met one of my favorite writers in real life." Teddy explained, as if he was justifying himself. Billy found that endearing.

"Well... Send me an e-mail during the week. I'll find a moment to come sign your books." The young man decided. He did not ask for Teddy's number. He did not want him to think he was hitting on him or something. Teddy nodded eagerly.

"Sure, yeah!" He agreed.

"Hey, Ted, the captain wants us to share a toast with the guys." Eli said, as he came to the bar with Kate, who looked at Billy and Teddy with a suspicious smile. Billy glared at her before Eli's words reached his brain.

"What? You're a fireman?" He asked with surprise, and both Eli and Teddy confirmed.

"Yeah, Eli had just started working at the former station when it blew up." Kate told him.

"And I just got transferred when it happened." Teddy said. "I was there for a week and then..." He did not finish his sentence, but his grimace explained everything. "Let's just say I'm lucky to be here." He finally muttered, sadness painted all over his features. Eli patted his back.

"Come on. It's party time. Don't think about that now, and let's celebrate this new beginning. Captain's words." He cheered and Teddy nodded. He then turned around to face Billy.

"It was nice meeting you." The blonde young man told him warmly, as Eli kissed Kate's cheek to say goodbye, but the young woman was watching Billy babble an answer to Teddy, who was already walking away, followed by Eli.

  
"So, it was nice meeting you, uh?" Kate teased Billy and the young man turned his face towards her.

"Shut up."

***

Three hours and a lot of champagne later, Billy and Kate exited the new station. The young woman was definitely drunk, snickering as she tried to keep quiet. Billy was in no better state, snickering along with her.

  
"Nah. You know what's lame? I'll tell you what's lame. What's lame is, that you meet a hunky fireman, who likes your books, and you don't even try to get into his pants. You don't even try to get his number. That's what's lame." She giggled, swaying dangerously on her five inches heels. Billy laughed.

"What's lame is that you're going to kiss the sidewalk if you don't pay attention." He mocked, causing the young woman to giggle even more.

"Oh my god, will it count as cheating if I kiss the ground?" She drunkenly asked, suddenly very serious, as she tried to stand as still as possible. "I'm not a cheater. I'm not gonna kiss anyone or anything but Tommy. He has very soft lips you know?" She told Billy with a dreamy look on her face.

"Gross." He giggled, lifting a hand to hail a taxi. "You're going back to his place, right?" A yellow car stopped in front of him and he opened the door for the young woman. She got in and looked at him.

"You don't come with me?" She asked, pouting slightly. Billy shook his head.

"Nah. I'm gonna walk." He told her. He did not want her to pay again for the ride. She nodded, too drunk to question his decision and was about to close the door before she stiffened.

"Text me once you're home. Or I swear I'll come looking for you." It made the young man chuckle and he kissed her cheek.

"Good night, Kate." He muttered gently before closing the door for her. A few seconds after, he watched the taxi drive away, and started walking. He made it in less time that he had expected considering his level of intoxication and barely took the time to strip before collapsing on his bed.

***

Mornings sucked. Especially when you had drunk what felt like oceans of alcohol. Billy got up and winced, at some point during the night, a jackhammer had decided his head would be a proper place to make some work. He wobbled towards the door of his bathroom in order to pee and take a shower. But first he needed to brush his teeth, or he was not going to make it until noon with the taste that lingered in it.

After brushing his teeth twice, he got rid of his underwear and stepped into the shower. The hot water came as a blessing and he relaxed under the spray, deciding he would take a bath later. He washed up and lathered his hair with shampoo to get rid of the last traces of hairwax that were still holding his locks in place. The young man then dried himself and got dressed in baggy jeans and a black hoodie over a Superman t-shirt.

When Billy entered his living room, his phone started ringing, loud and obnoxious and he grimaced. Taking one look at the screen, he picked up and sighed.

  
"Hi Tommy. Sleep well?" He asked, his voice raspier than the usual.

"I sure did. Well, after I managed to tuck Kate in. She wanted to go looking for you." His brother's voice informed him, playful as ever.

"Ah, shit. Forgot to text her." Billy remembered, rubbing his face.

"Anyway, I called to tell you that we're dropping by your place. I'm picking up the tux." That made the young man frown. He licked his lips.

"Are you sick?" He asked, and heard Tommy huff at the end of line.

"No, why are you asking?" He replied, sounding confused.

"Because you never call before you show up." Billy sneered, pouring himself some coffee.

"But today is special!" Tommy sing songed. "Because things have happened. See you in a few." He said before hanging up, leaving Billy completely puzzled with his cup in his hand.

When Tommy and Kate entered his apartment, Billy was sitting in his couch and had managed to type a few lines. He raised an eyebrow at them and then froze when he saw Tommy's wolfish grin. The feeling of being cornered grew more and more intense as his twin brother sat a bit too close to him and wrapped his arm around his shoulders.

  
"So, Billy-boy? I see that you're writing?" He began with a shit eating grin, darting his green eyes at the screen, but Billy closed his laptop so he would not be able to see. The white haired young man turned his face back to Billy, who felt even worse about all this. "Is it linked to a certain hunky fireman? That is a biiiiiig fan?"

"Shit, Kate!" Billy accused his friend, outraged. "You told him?" The young woman grimaced sorrily and shrugged. Tommy laughed and shook Billy by the shoulders gently.

"Come on! That's a great thing! When are you going to see him? I mean, tell me you're going to see him." He demanded, enthusiastic. Billy got up and shook his head.

"I'm supposed to sign a few of his books. But he is a fan, Tommy. And don't you think you're going a bit fast here? I don't think he's into guys, and even if he were, I don't want to do anything with a fan. That'd be creepy, and I'd feel like I'd be taking advantage of that fact." He shivered of disgust at the mere thought of this. Well, sure Teddy was charming, or at least that was what he could remember. But he was a fan. And dating a fan? No way.

"Oh, please! How do you think Kate and I met?" His brother answered grumpily which made Billy snort in disbelief.

"I thought I introduced you guys." He pointed out, his best bitch face on display. "You're a traitor." he told Kate. "Do you guys want coffee?" He retreated in the kitchen, as Tommy padded behind him.

"Actually Kate was a fan. I stayed away for a few, because I think exactly like you when it comes to fans, but then I learnt she was working with you, and I remembered your best friend's name was Kate. I put two and two together, and searched for her number on the net. We grabbed a coffee, and then thought 'why not give it a shot?' I was ready to bail at the first sign of crazyness, but there was none. So really, bro, if he is into guys, why don't you think about this?" But Billy just shoved a cup of coffe in his hand as a reply. He gave the second cup to Kate, who brushed his hand with a smile. He looked straight into her eyes.

  
"Maybe i should have put salt in yours." He grumbled affectionately and the young woman huffed.

"Drunken talk doesn't count!" She insisted and the young man shook his head. Tommy joined them.

"No, but really, Billy. Think about it." He advised, sitting back on the couch and starting to drink his coffee.

"I'm not going to date a fan. Wht if he goes all Annie Wilkes on me?" He asked, knowing he was exagerating, but still. Who said the guy was not a complete groupie?

"Who needs a left foot nowadays?" Tommy joked, and Billy swatted the back of his head. "Ouch, easy Sheldon!"

"Then stop being stupid. And maybe the guy was drunk yesterday. Maybe he has forgotten everything." The young man stated, hopeful, and yet not sure if he liked this idea.

Kate sighed, tired of their little brotherly feuds.

  
"You're both stupid. Can we order in? I'm starving. Billy said no, Tommy. Leave him alone. After what he did yesterday, you owe him that." She stated, as her best friend nodded eagerly. Tommy perked up, concerned.

"You're still mad at me." He realized, and Kate twisted her mouth, keeping quiet and looking at her boyfriend. Billy nudged his brother, grateful for the welcome change of subject.

"Remember what we told you yesterday." He whispered and smiled at Kate who suddenly seemed confused. Tommy went bright red, which did not happened often, and it surprised the two others. He started stuttering.

"Hm, let's... Uh... We need to talk about all this... Uh... Dinner at my place? Tonight?" He proposed and Billy patted his back. Kate agreed confusedly, before looking at Billy, her eyes full of questions. But the young man simply shrugged, smiling confidently. He then clapped his hands, hoping everything would settle between Tommy and Kate. God, he needed it before they decided to drag him to another one of their plans.

"Indian?" He proposed, trying to diffuse the tension. He dialed the number as the two other agreed.

***

Teddy walked inside the new station, looking around. He was still amazed by the size and modernity of it. It still smelled like fresh paint, and it was still a bit empty. He walked past the main entrance and proceeded towards the back were all the lockers were lined up. A few of them were opened. He was supposed to claim one before they all started working again. He hummed quietly as he opened the last one on the right, and left it like that. He turned around when he heard animated chatting and saw Eli entering with the captain Rogers, America and Nate. He greeted them warmly, and tried to fight the urge to grab the captain by the arm to help him walk.

  
"I'm not used to this place. It still feels weird." He heard the young woman say, sporting a scowl on her face as she walked towards the lockers. "Hi, Teddy." She added, patting his back as she passed by him. "Let me guess, all the open ones have been claimed, right?" SHe asked.

"That's right." The captain replied, turning around to shake Teddy's hand. His grip was still strong and the young man felt a smile blossom on his face.

"How are you doing son?" The older asked, showing concern as always. Teddy shook his head.

"I should be the one asking you that, Steve." He replied gently. "But I'm great. Thank you."

He was one of his heroes. One who had worked with his father for a while before he died in a fire. One who had then vouched for him when he had wanted to be transferred to the same station his father had worked in.

  
"Last locker on the right I presume?" Steve asked with complicity, and Teddy nodded with a shy smile. "Then I'll make sure your number stays the same." The older man promised. It was Teddy's father number when he was still alive, and the young man had asked if he could keep it in his memory, even if he had not known him very well. His own tribute to the man. As they were talking, Eli and Nate had followed America and claimed their own lockers before coming back to the two of them.

"So Teddy, rumor has it that you were spotted flirting last night?" Nate asked teasingly, his eyes small and tired, slightly red rimmed. Teddy looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. Steve looked at him with a smile.

"Oh, really? Who's the lucky guy?" He asked curiously, but not teasing. The young man blushed.

"Apparently, it's a famous writer..." Nate added, with a wolfish grin.

"What a nerd." Eli joined in with a laughter. America punched his shoulder, her scowl deeper than before as she came to stand besides Teddy.

"Give him a break." She said flatly, as Teddy started babbling to justify himself.

"I was not flirting... I... I like his books... So... I just... Shit. You guys are evil." He stated with a nervous chuckle.

"Ah, our little fanboy is growing up. Evolving to a full grown man-groupie." Nate laughed, quickly stepping away as America rose her fist again. The young man shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down awkwardly, his hair falling in his eyes. "Did you ask him out?" Teddy shook his head. "At least you got his number, right?" Nate insisted, and Teddy shook his head again. The other slapped his forehead. Steve huffed, annoyed with their harassment.

"Come on guys. Leave him alone. Besides, Nate, he's not the only one who had fun last night if I remember well. How is that hangover?" And Teddy could not be more grateful. They all got distracted and started taunting Nate instead of him. Steve showed him the door with a nod and Teddy followed him.

Once outside, Steve stopped and started studying the younger man. "So? Who is he?" He asked gently, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms. Teddy chuckled.

  
"It's not like that. He's just an a fantasy and science fiction author that I like very much. So yeah I had a huge fanboying moment. He must have thought I'm crazy." He confessed, and the older man huffed.

"Yeah, but if you put aside your admiration?" The captain insisted gently, which made Teddy look down and rub the back of his neck. God he needed to stop doing that.

"He seems nice. Maybe a bit intimidating. But what famous person isn't?" He thought out loud. "He offered to sign some of my books. I think he did that out of pity. I acted like a spaz." Steve laughed t that last statement.

"Come on. Everyone would act a bit... Uh... Crazy meeting one of their idols. But I'm curious. How are you going to get him to sign your books if you didn't get his number?"

"I have his e-mail address. It's mentionned at the end of his books. He told me to send him one during the week."

"Then send him one and ask him on a date." STeve encouraged him and put a hand on his shoulder in a fatherly gesture that made Teddy's heart clench a little. He smiled and shook his head.

"Nah. I can't do that. He'll think I'm a crazy groupie who only wants to sleep with him. Besides, I don't know if he's gay or not, and I really don't need to be flagged as a sex offender or something. Or end with a restraining order."

"Well, it's up to you Teddy. If he is interested, try and get to know him better. It can only do you good to have a friend besides us. And you won't have any excuses to stay inside your apartment anymore. Live a little." Steve advised, before pulling him in a tight hug. "You're a great kid. I'm sure he'll see that, and if he plays for your team, well... Just go for it." He broke the hug, ignoring the questionning looks he got from the three other firefighters that exited the station and waved at them before walking away, leaving Teddy slightly moved as his colleagues and friends stopped next to him.

"You up for a drink, Altman?" Eli invited, faking to ignore the fact that he was rubbing the tears away from his eyes.

"Yeah, sure." The young man replied with a smile, which make Nate cheere and pull him enthusiasticly, an arm around his shoulders, as he led the way to the bar.

***

It was around 10:30 PM that Billy noticed he had a dozen of new e-mails. He opened a new tab and started to read them, a tired smile on his face. He would never admit it, but going out and meet people had actually had a benefic effect on him. He was almost halfway through the first chapter of his new book. The mails were the usual. Fans telling him they loved his work, and sending him fanarts that would end up on his wall in his bedroom and on his facebook page. There were newsletters from a few websites, and an ad for an online video game. His mailbox pinged and he looked at the address that appeared on the screen. He double clicked on it and opened the message.

  
  
Teddy Altman  
to me  
today

subject: Book signing

Hello,

This is Teddy Altman from yesterday night at the new fire station. I don't know if you remember me, I'm the fireman with whom you chatted at the bar, and acted like a total fanboy (and for that I'm sorry.) I just wanted to say that I would be happy to have my books signed, if your offer still stands. If not, feel free to ignore this message and forget totally that I exist. But if you're still okay with that, tell me when you're available, and I'll do the same so we can catch each other.

Once again, I apologize for my behavior, and I hope I didn't put you off.

See you (or not)

Teddy-

Billy felt his smile grow wider and wider as he read, and checked the clock. It was too late to reply, and he did not want Teddy to think he was waiting in front of his computer for his message. He then tried to go back to his writing, but he was buzzing with so much excitment he found himself unable to focus. So he closed his laptop and decided to go to bed. Teddy wanted to see him. He had not forgotten him.

"Well, this is just great." He muttered happily as he burried his face in his pillow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!!! First of all, let me thank you all for the kudos and the kind comments =). The next big thank you goes to Laura, my beta, I hope I didn't fuck up like last time by posting the unbeta-ed version. If I did it again, you can kick my ass into the multiverse, like America would ^^. And once again a humongous thank you to my best girl Lisa who let me fill her inbox with so many parts of this chapter I probably crashed it. I was really scared of losing everything.
> 
> So yeah, this chapter is quite long. I hope you'll enjoy it anyway. I'm probably forgetting what I wanted to write in this note, it's kinda late here.
> 
> Have a nice reading! =D

Billy was exhausted, and a big smile was hanging on his lips. He was surrounded by paper, and he was vigorously typing on his computer. He downed the rest of his coffee, and got up to pour himself another. He was in the middle of the sixth chapter of his new book, and as always when he was in the middle of a writing spree, he had turned every devices that could distract him off. No phone calls, no emails. He looked outside the window for a few seconds and smiled. The traffic was so steady, and the lights so clear. He shook his head and pushed his glasses up on his nose. He went back to sit in front of his computer and cracked his knuckles. He was typing right after, humming quietly as his plot progressed.

He was supposed to give Kate the first half of the novel as soon as it was finished. At this rate, his best friend would not have to wait for very long. He considered texting her to inform her of his progress, but he quickly decided otherwise. He had been clear when he had told her and his twin brother Tommy that he did not want to be disturbed for the rest of the week. His mind had been buzzing with ideas, and the scenes kept playing in his mind on repeat, only leaving it once they were written. So he kept writing, his eyes stinging a bit, but it was worth it. Licking his lips, he took a sheet of paper. He studied it for a few minutes, and smirked. His readers were going to love this new character. His twin brother a lot less, he thought, and that made him chuckle. He finished his chapter, and started the next one, where he introduced his new character. His eyes were burning, but he fought to keep them open, wanting to get halfway through this chapter before going to sleep. He failed.

***

"I knew I'd find you like this." Kate grumbled, jumping Billy awake. His glasses were digging painfully in the bridge of his nose and he knew his keyboard was printed on his cheek. He groaned when he looked at the screen. Full pages covered in nonsense that he would have to delete. Kate pulled him away from the desk and crossed her arms, letting out a quiet laugh. "Couldn't you at least text? Every time you lock yourself in I'm afraid I'm gonna find you all dried out in front of your computer."

"I'm currently writing the seventh chapter." Billy replied, his voice hoarse with sleep, but the young woman shook her head.

"That's great, but I don't want you to turn your phone off. I never asked that from you. So get dressed, we're going out. You need to see the sky for a bit. And I want details." She said, pulling him up and pointing towards his bathroom. The young man stretched and grimaced when he felt a few of his bones crack.

"Details?" He asked absentmindedly, as he entered his room and picked clothes from his closet. The young woman was right. He needed a break.

"Yeah, the details of your date that isn't a date with the hunky fireman." Kate specified and Billy stopped dead, eyes going wide and paling alarmingly fast.

"I forgot to reply to Teddy!!" He exclaimed and threw his clothes on his bed, rushing back in the living, under Kate's transfixed eyes. She pinched the bridge of her nose, her eyes closed tight.

"Really?" She sighed, as Billy opened a new tab to his mail. He read teddy's message again and slumped. The young man had contacted him four days ago, and he had not replied. He started typing anxiously, muttering under his breath. Mostly cursing himself. He clicked on 'send' and got up.

"Shit! Shit!" He kept on saying as he disappeared into his room.

***

Teddy stretched, yawning tiredly and he looked at the clock again. His shift was almost over and he only wanted to go back to his apartment and collapse on the bed. America was a few tables away from his, her earphones plugged in, and fighting to keep her eyes open. The others were probably washing the trucks, and inspecting their gears again. He smiled when the young woman sat besides him, groaning quietly.

"Tell me I can leave." She asked, which made him chuckle and pull her in a friendly embrace. She accepted it for a few seconds, then pushed him. She was not a hug person, at least not after an all night shift. She crossed her arms, making her biceps bulge slightly. "So? Did you get any news from the writer?" She asked while rubbing her eyes, and Teddy realized she did that only so she would get distracted in order to stay awake. But he felt his jaw clench. He knew it was childish, but he felt disappointed that Billy Kaplan had not replied to him. He knew the writer was probably busy, writing a new book or something, but in that case, he should not have proposed to sign some of his books. He knew he was throwing a temper tantrum, but he could not help it.

"Nothing." He replied, shrugging and looking down. "I sent him an email four days ago. And he hasn't replied. I guess he doesn't remember me, or decided he actually doesn't want to sign my books. After all, we were both pretty drunk, so..."

"Ah, that sucks." The young woman said, sympathetic. But he shook his head.

"No, it's fine. I mean, he's probably busy or anything. Why would he remember a fan he met at a party? He probably meets tons of us when he goes out." He stated, and blushed when he saw America smile wider and wider.

"You've got a crush going on." She teased, her deep voice full of laughter. The young man simply smiled back, his ears turning pink.

"I guess." He replied and she clapped his back. "I mean, I always kinda liked him, but I feel like a creepy stalker. I mean, I hadn't met him until then, and it felt unhealthy you know, like every time when you obsess on a celebrity and all." He laughed. "God I feel like a teenager. This is ridiculous."

"I feel the same when I see some actresses. I'm not gonna blame you." America replied, tying her curly hair in a ponytail. "Anyway, it's a shame he didn't reply. I'm sorry, but leave him on his celebrity cloud. If he doesn't reply, he's not worth your time." And Teddy nodded at that.

"You're right. From now on, I'll only read his books for the sake of the story. Not because of my stupid attraction." He joked, and America nodded. She glanced at the clock and let out a loud yawn.

"And, we're done! Ted, it's not that I don't like you, but my bed awaits." She announced, getting up, Teddy followed her.

As they made their way to the exit, they met a few of their colleagues that were taking over and greeted them before walking out, parting ways when they reached the subway. America lived a few blocks away, and Teddy had to go to Brooklyn. The ride went smoothly, and he dozed off with his gym bag on his knees. He did not like wearing his uniform while he was on the way home. It attracted to much attention. So he always changed.

He let out a sigh of delight when he closed the door of his apartment. He simply tossed the gym bag on his couch and went straight to his room. He stripped down to his underwear and fell face first on his pillow. He was about to fall asleep when his phone and computer pinged at the same time. Opening his eyes he unlocked his phone and saw the email notification on his screen. The young man opened it and rubbed his eyes, straightening instantly when he saw the name displayed before the message.

Billy Kaplan  
to me  
today

subject: Book signing, and I'm an idiot

Hello Teddy,

This is Billy, I'm so sorry for not replying earlier. I'm in the middle of my new novel, and you could say that I got a bit too distracted by my writing. I just wanted to tell you that yes, my offer still stands and that you absolutely didn't put me off. You actually were very sweet, and I'm really happy that you like my work. I can tell you that there's absolutely nothing wrong with fanboying, and I would be a hypocrite if I said otherwise. So if you're still not taken this week, I'm available everyday starting today, so you can choose when you want me to sign your books. I hope you'll forgive me for not replying earlier, and I sincerely apologize. You must think I'm some kind of swollen headed guy, which I swear I'm not. I'm just bad at socializing, and I easily shut the world out when I write. if you're mad at me, you can ignore this message, and even tell me you don't want to hear from me anymore.

Sorry for this babbling. I hope you're well.

Hope to see you soon

Billy-

Teddy just sat there, stunned. He was sure of two things. One, he was an idiot. Two, Billy sounded panicked at the idea of having disappointed him, and he suddenly felt very sorry for all the bad feelings and thoughts he had nurtured during these past four days. He hit the reply button and started typing, fighting the urge to apologize as well. Apologize for thinking Billy was another asshole celebrity. He should have known better, the guy was busy. He wanted to slap himself. After sending the message, he buried his face back in his pillow, hoping to forget his ridiculousness.

***

The wind was so cold, tears kept falling from Billy's eyes. He wiped them once more, burying the bottom of his face in his red scarf. He pushed his hands in the pockets of his woolen coat.

"God, I'm freezing." He grumbled, making Kate nod in agreement. "I'm not sure going out was a great idea after all."

"I sometimes wonder why your middle name isn't Grumpy." Kate chuckled, hooking her arm with his. The young man just shook his head.

"Because my birth mother only mentioned that my name was 'William' when she gave Tommy and I up. My parents wanted to honor that, so they did not give me a middle name. But if it makes you feel better I can make a request. What do you think of Grumpy McBroodingface?" He sassed her and she pinched her lips.

"I think it fits you perfectly." She replied. Billy snorted. "Oh come on! You forgot to reply, it happens." The young woman told him. A blush crept on her best friend's face and a big wolfish grin appeared on her face. "Busted." She teased him gently.

"It's not like that." The young man tried to protest, but Kate shushed him.

"Come on, Kaplan! He's cute, you asked him on a date..."

"It's not a date! He's a fan who was very nice..."

"Oh please! You can't tell me you didn't think he was cute! I know you, you wouldn't propose to sign someone's book just because they tell you they're a fan." She cut him, deciding she had enough of this bullshit he was serving her. "Admit it, Billy. You wanted to see him again. And it's understandable! When is the last time you actually met a guy that piqued your interest?"

"I was drunk. I didn't know what I was doing." He sighed, apologetic. Kate rolled her eyes and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You weren't even tipsy. Don't make excuses." The young woman groaned. It was Billy's turn to roll his eyes.

"Okay! He is cute! He seems nice, but I also don't know if he's gay, so that was really stupid. He's also a fan, and if it turns out he's into guys, that would be taking advantage of him." He countered weakly, looking down, making the young woman laugh.

"Excuse me, but he seemed very willing to see you again. I don't call that 'taking advantage of someone', but that's only my opinion. Just go meet him, sign his books, try to see if he's interested, and if he is not, move on. God, you need to stop shutting yourself out from the world."

Billy bit his lips, his cheeks still very red. Something was off. He thought for a moment and squinted.

"I've been unbearable lately, isn't it?" He realized, and Kate opened her mouth, then shut it. "It only comes to me now. You and Tommy have been trying to push me out to meet people this past week."

"It's for your own good." Kate replied firmly. "And I'm glad we did. Sorry we tricked you. But it was a good thing for all of us. I'm just mad I couldn't reach you this past four days. I would have sticked to the plan. Fictional characters are great, Billy. But you need to get your nose out of your books sometimes. Please? When is the last time you actually visited your family? You could go say hello before they think you disappeared."

The young man nodded tiredly. Deep down, he knew she was right. But it was so much easier to not face the world outside sometimes. He rubbed his face and looked into her eyes.

"All right. Now please, let's get inside before I freeze to death." He asked. Kate laughed and led the way towards a small diner.

***

Once back at his apartment, Billy settled on his couch with his laptop, his glasses on the top of his head and a glass of wine on his coffee table. He immediately opened his mail and saw he had another email from Teddy. Bracing himself, and convinced he was going to read a colorful message of rejection, he started reading.

Teddy Altman  
to me  
today

Hey Billy!

I'm glad your offer still stands, let's say tomorrow, 4pm? I'm stuck on night shifts this week, so I tend to sleep a little late in the afternoon. Just let me know if you would prefer we met some other time.

See you!

Teddy-

This single line put a smile on Billy's face, and he replied that it was okay for him too. He also asked for Teddy's address, adding he was also willing to meet him somewhere else if he preferred. He clicked on 'send' and closed his laptop as Kate plopped down next to him a glass of wine in her hand.

"Is it really reasonable to drink wine at two in the afternoon?" He asked her. "Don't you have to go back to work?" He put his glasses back on his nose and grabbed his own glass before taking a sip.

"I do, but we have to celebrate. Tommy agreed to come to my parents' place for dinner this week end. Poor little thing. He was scared of meeting them." She chuckled before taking a sip as well, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "No but really, am I the only one finding that ridiculously cute? Tough Guy Tommy Shepherd, afraid of meeting my parents."

"I don't know if I can process the fact that you said Tommy and cute in the same sentence." Billy replied quietly with a smirk. "I mean, it kinda sounds out of character if you ask me. Tommy being cute."

"Enough with your wit, mister the writer. Out of character... You really need to stop drinking ink and eating paper." She teased him, and he simply rose his middle finger at her. She let out a loud laugh and downed the rest of her glass. She licked her lips and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "So, what did Hunky Teddy say?" She asked curiously. "When are you going to see him?" Billy made a face and drank the rest of his wine.

"Who said it was Teddy?" He countered with a grin, putting his glass back on the coffee table and the young woman snorted.

"You were humming 'The Hills are Alive', Bridget. I swear you were seeing yourself hopping in the grass with a basket. I hope his shirt was unbuttoned in your fantasy at least. That would explain the exquisite shade of pink tinting your ears right now." She sassed him with a perfect imitation of the british accent.

"Well, at least Bridget gets the guy in the end." He replied dryly. "I'm not sure I will." Kate just laughed again. She wiped her eyes.

"Oh God. You're hilarious. It's so easy to get to you. I love you." She kissed his cheek and got up. "I gotta go. Don't exhaust yourself while writing. Get up every two hours, drink, and blink as much as you can." The young woman reminded him, putting her coat and scarf on. "And text me every time you finish a chapter." She ended, this time in a more professional tone.

"Got it." Billy answered obediently and Kate exited. The young man went back to work right after.

***

Teddy woke up at 4:30. Blinking and rubbing his eyes he noticed his bedroom door was opened and he frowned. He put some sweatpants on and went to his living to find Greg on his couch, drinking a beer.

"Oh come on Greg." He grumbled, crossing his arms. "You can't show up here unannounced. Especially when I'm sleeping!" The brown haired young man cocked an eyebrow. He took another swig of his beer and put the glass bottle down on the floor making Teddy huff in displeasure. "There's a table in front of you." He pointed out. Greg picked up the bottle and put in on the table with a shit eating grin.

"Nice to see you too, Ted." He said, his voice deep, velvety. It made Teddy's hairs stand up on his arms and on the back of his neck. He uncrossed his arms and shoved his hands in his pocket.

"What's up?" The young man asked, more out of habit than will to actually know. Greg showing up meant something had happened. He never visited him, they always met in the city.

"Oh, nothing, the usual. Anna kicked me out, and my stuff is still at our place. I'm supposed to pick it up tomorrow, so I was wondering if you would let me crash here tonight." Greg replied tiredly, stretching, his muscles highlighted by the tight shirt he was wearing. Teddy looked away, his hair falling in his eyes. It was over. These stupid feelings he had for Greg back in high school had disappeared, he tried to reason himself. But in the back of his mind, the memories were playing. That night after graduation. Too much alcohol had been involved. He could still feel the strong yet smooth hand on his stomach, the pull on his hair and the softness of lips against his skin and mouth. And those three words muttered shamefully. Those three words he had grown to hate after the four years of being Greg's booty call whenever a girl broke up with him or turned him down. Those three words he kept muttering to Teddy each time, void of all meaning.

"Oh. Well I guess you can stay." He heard himself mumble, and he immediately hated himself for that. What was he doing? Playing with fire and getting burnt badly had not been enough apparently. "I won't be here, I gotta go to work in a few hours anyway." He informed the other, brushing back the hair from his eyes.

"When does your shift start?" Greg asked flatly, and Teddy's pulse accelerated quickly when He saw the other young man get up and walk towards him. His skin suddenly hotter than before, the young man stood there, unable to move.

"At nine." He replied quietly, and the other grabbed him softly by the hips. His hands trailed up, so soft against his bare skin, and he shivered violently.

"Your room?" He heard Greg ask, and despising himself for relapsing, he nodded.

***

The slam of the locker next to him made him jump. He looked on his right with wide eyes.

"Are you planning on staring at the back of your locker half naked or are you actually gonna change and go with me to the equipment room? The gears are not going to inspect themselves." America asked him in a pissed tone. He nodded, looking like deer caught in the headlights. He quickly stripped of his pants and put the ones from his uniform on. He peeled his shirt off, and put the NYFD one on, letting his suspender hang.

"Let's go." He told her, in a rougher tone than he meant. He was sore all over, and he hoped his friend would not notice the fact he was slightly limping. He hated it. Feeling that good after something he knew could not go anywhere. It was not normal, right? To still desire someone who had broken his heart, over and over again. He went straight to the main hangar, where all the trucks were parked and started to check their thermal protective jackets and hoods, as America went to talk to the Eli and Nate about the trucks. They proceeded quietly, checking everything from the closet full of the necessary equipment (axes, flashlight, megaphones...) To filling back each gear bag in the station, as most of them were also paramedics. Teddy was shoving gauze into his own when he noticed Nate, Eli and America looking at him suspiciously.

"What?" He grumbled, shoving another roll of gauze in his already full bag.

"Okay, what's wrong? You're never cranky. And right now, it looks like you're angrily fisting your bag. Are you okay?" Nate asked sheepishly, full of concern. Eli came to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Teddy?" He asked, his dark eyes scanning the young man's face. Teddy wanted to push him off him, and to scream and throw all his anger to them. But he simply clenched his jaw.

"I'm okay. I don't wanna talk about it. It's just a stupid thing, don't worry." He recited, as always when he did not want to talk, he hid behind the 'it's complicated' and the 'it's a stupid thing' excuse. There was also the fact that, at the very moment, he only wanted to forget. And he knew only one way, which was throw himself into work. Eli sighed, but did not insist.

"If you want to talk, I'll be cleaning the station with Nate." He said, pulling the other young man with him as he protested. America kept studying him though, filling the gear bags with her lips pursed. Her light brown eyes were highlighted by her signature winged eye liner. She dropped her bag.

"Okay, chico. Sit." She commanded roughly, moving to one of the bench herself. "It's either you talk, or I punch it out of you. I'm not working with someone whose brooding could get us killed if we go on an intervention tonight." Teddy was shaken, and his anger flared inside his chest.

"You think I can't do my job because I'm having a bad day? Thanks, America." He grumbled, still filling his bag, mindlessly. He only stopped once he saw he could not fit any more gauze inside it and cursed.

"See what I mean? You're completely distracted!" America protested, sitting down on the bench. "Come here. Don't make me repeat myself Altman, or I'll call the Captain." She threatened, and the young man's guts turned cold. He did not want to have someone complaint about him to Steve.

"You wouldn't!" He exclaimed, outraged, and the young woman scowled, crossing her arms.

"Oh yeah? Are you sure about that?" She retorted, and she clearly meant what she was saying. "You don't share a lot, but we've had enough time to get to know you. We pretend we believe you, but we know when you're deflecting. So fess up, now."

"I did something bad, okay!" Teddy shouted, anger bubbling inside him. "I had sex with a guy who didn't give a fuck about me, and who still doesn't, but somehow, when he's around I can't help myself. I fall over and over again! So it's not only stupid, but it's also pathetic! There, are you happy?"

The young man slammed the gear bag into his locker. America just frowned and got up, walking towards him.

"And the worst, I know he's not good for me, and that I'll never be anything but a nice warm hole to him, but I still feel so turned on by him. It's not normal! I'm not normal!" He added through gritted teeth. America made a face.

"Okay, first, you do not call yourself a warm hole in front of me." The young woman scolded him. "You're a human person with valid feelings. And I'm sorry, but the fact that you go back to a guy after you apparently went through Hell because of him is not normal indeed." Teddy slumped on himself, red with shame and anger. "But it's understandable. What happened?" She asked in a softer tone. Teddy looked up, miserable.

"when I was in high school, I was either bullied or ignored. I was skinny, and rather small." He started under America's skeptical glare. "It changed after my freshman year. I had a grow spurt and started hitting the gym. I knew Greg because I had a crush on him since the first day. He was so handsome... And it was obvious he felt good in his skin too. I wanted to look like him. And after a few weeks, he started noticing me, and we became friends. Good friends. Thanks to him, I got in the basket ball team. And we grew closer. During senior year, I came out to him, and he used it to his advantage, setting me on dates with guy I didn't even like just to get close to their fag hags, as he called them. I didn't care. Because each time he scored, he came to me with so much gratitude, I knew I was in love and that I could forgive him anything."

The young woman sighed sorrily, and kept listening.

"Then, a little before graduation, I told him about how I felt. I knew we were going to different universities, and that I had nothing to lose. He took it quite well, but we never talked about it again after that. Until that night at the graduation party. I lost my virginity to him." He revealed, and America swore under her breath, the young man slumping over himself more as he spoke. "I know. I should have known better. I was drunk." He tried to justify himself quietly. "But it didn't stop there." He kept on talking, for once in a very long time feeling the need to confide to someone. It felt good to let out this poison that had been festering inside him. "He told me he loved me. Then pretended to not remember. And he did it every time we had sex, because somehow, he always came to visit me during my college years, telling me I was his best friend. And apologized every time, saying he got caught in the moment. Like he did this afternoon." He finished bitterly.

"Oh, Ted." His friend groaned. "Can't you see the guy is using you?" She asked quietly, making Teddy snort.

"I know! I know! But I can't help myself! Fuck!" The young man erupted, running a hand through his hair. "I'm gonna kick him out as soon as I go back home." He decided firmly, and America let out an outraged noise.

"You let him stay at your place?" She cried in disbelief.

"Only for the night." Teddy replied, but his friend shook her head harshly.

"You shouldn't have allowed him to stay in the first place!" She protested. But Teddy didn't get the chance to reply. Suddenly, a loud drill echoed around the station, and they both looked to the wall, where a red light was flashing brightly. They both grabbed a gear bag, and ran towards the hangar.

"Okay, guys! Minor fire in the East side! Suit up!" They heard the Captain Rogers shout.

"Do not get me killed Altman." America threatened, and he replied with a grunt, before starting to put his uniform on.

***

There was a lot of yelling. Teddy, Nate, Eli and America were waiting a few feet from the disaster scene with a few of their colleagues. Apparently, two station had been notified of the fire, and even though the fire had happened in their perimeter, another had rushed to extinguish the fire as well, leading to an unbelievable mess. They had gotten in the way of each other, and once the fire had been mastered, all the people brought to safety and given the first aid (luckily, nobody had been hurt severely), The Captain Rogers had rushed to the Captain of the other Station and they were now in the middle of a heated argument.

The guy had apparently thought they were still unable to work properly after the accident. It was the first time Teddy saw Steve in such a state of anger. Of course, after a while, some journalists had arrived and were now snapping pictures of the argument eagerly, despite the cops that were trying to prevent them from doing so. Eli sighed and walked towards the two man and muttered a few words. They both turned their heads towards the crowd that had gathered at some point. Steve said something to the other Captain, and walked back towards his colleagues. God, he seemed so thin in his uniform now, Teddy remarked. Once again, he fought the urge to grab him and help him walk.

"You can be sure the Chief Fury will be notified." He thundered. "So what? Just because our station blew up, we're not able to do our job? Screw Logan. Let's go back. I want a complete report of what happened in the building. We can't fuck up again like that."

When they got back to the station, Steve told them to wait in front of his office. They all got inside one by one, first the ones that had stayed outside while Teddy, America, Eli and Nate were making sure nobody was still in the building. Then it was Teddy's turn. He entered quietly, and closed the door behind him. It felt like being called to the principal's office. There was a lot of medals exposed on the walls, all framed. And pictures of all of them during events, such as the opening of the new station, a few days ago. On the desk was a picture of Steve with a brown haired man. Teddy recognized James Barnes, Steve's best friend, and one of their former colleague. He could not work with them anymore. He had lost his left arm during the accident.

"Sit down, Ted." Steve said dryly, a pen in his right hand, a blank sheet of paper in front of him. The young man obeyed and waited. "What the fuck happened back there? The others told me the other team tried to get in your way intentionally?" He asked, fury tainting his voice. Teddy blinked. But under Steve's inquisitive stare, his resolve deflated, and he told everything.

"It's... Well, they tried, yeah. They tried to block our way and they kept us to finish our job properly. We had to move. America wanted to tear their heads off." He told, his voice dying when he saw the older man taking notes.

"I can't believe it." Steve groaned. He kept writing, holding his pen so hard against the sheet it was all dotted with ink. "I won't allow it. And it's all because of numbers." He grumbled, confusing Teddy. "You can go. Tell America to go blow some steam in the gym. If she kicks another door, I'll have her take a break from the station."

The young man got up and exited the office, his head low. He walked in the hallways, until he found his teammates arguing quietly.

"Uh, America? Steve said you have to go blow some steam in the gym." He told her sorrily. The young woman huffed and left.

"Next time, I say we let her rip Bobby's head apart." Nate muttered, causing Eli to snort. "What? The guy's a cocky douchebag!" The young man protested, throwing an angry glare at his colleague.

"You only say that because he stole that blonde waitress from you at the bar."

"That's not true!"

Teddy felt a smile blossom on his face. He let the two argue and went to the "living room" as they called it. He plopped down on the couch and stretched. He just needed to relax for a few minutes. He regretted not having a book with him. Speaking of book, he fetched his phone in his pocket and checked the few notifications displayed on the screen. He had no news from Greg, and if that pained him a little, the email from Billy quickly made him feel better. He read it, and did not hesitate twice before sending his address, apologizing for the late hour. He thought about the fact that he again sent a single line as a reply, and a wave of awkwardness surged through his body. He bit his lip and threw his phone next to him, closing his eyes and letting his head bang against the back of the couch.

His phone pinged and made him jump. Teddy unlocked it and made a face when he saw another email from Billy. It was around three in the morning, why was he still awake?

From Billy Kaplan  
to me  
today

Sweet! Guess I'll see you tomorrow then. I took a break from my writing and saw your reply. Gotta get back to it.

Be careful out there!

Billy-

Well, that explained all. Teddy was grinning like an idiot. He was looking forward the next afternoon.

***

Waking up to the blaring sound of a car alarm was not a good thing, Billy decided, as he tumbled out of bed, his hair messy and squinting. He scratched his chest, irritated, his fingers brushing the hair that was growing there. He exited his room, only to freeze when he was greeted by Tommy and Cassie, who winked at him mischievously. He wrapped his arms around his bare torso and frowned.

"Tommy, you seriously need to stop sneaking in here!" He protested, his voice still hoarse with sleep.

"I thought you were up! It's almost twelve thirty, bro." The white haired young man replied. "You did it again. You went to bed too late." He scolded him gently.

"Try early. I went to bed far too early in the morning." His twin brother confessed, sitting down in the armchair opposite to them. "So what brings you two here?" He asked, cracking a smile. He needed to work seriously on his people skills. Being nice was the first step.

"I went to Cassie so she could do my roots today. I talked about visiting you, and she asked me to come along. I said yes." Tommy shrugged, pleased that for once, Billy was not yelling at him. The blonde young woman next to him gave Billy a warm smile.

"How are you? Got any news from the hunky fireman? Tommy told me." She said gently, and Billy squinted as his brother, his smile turning into a smirk.

"Did he?" He sneered, but his brother rose his hands.

"Hey, Cassie nearly did the job herself. She turned you into a dark version of me. She deserved it. By the way, do you style your hair? Because with the haircut she gave you, you better. Otherwise, you'll look weird." He advised, making his brother huff and shake his head.

"I know why you're doing this. Kate told me. Don't worry, I'll try and see if Teddy could potentially be interested. After all, I've been single all this time. I have nothing to lose." He felt a blush creep on his face, but to his surprise, Tommy did not even try to tease him. He just nodded.

"We brought pizza, by the way." Cassie chimed in, pointing to the cardboard boxes on the coffee table. "We figured you might be hungry." She quickly changed subject, much to Billy's gratefulness. He opened the box and took a slice. He started eating his silence, his stomach rumbling. He frowned when he saw Tommy get up to walk towards his room.

"What are you doing?" He asked, and his brother smiled.

"I'm picking you an outfit for when you'll go visit the guy. We can't ruin the image he got from you the other day." The white haired young man replied gently. "Don't worry, I won't force you. Just let me work my magic okay?" He demanded, and that made Billy smile. Tommy actually gave him the choice, which is what pushed him to accept. Cassie smiled brightly, and took a slice of pizza for herself.

"You guys are so nice to one another." She commented. "It's funny how you always seem to tiptoe on the line of bickering then go full supportive."

"That's what brothers do." Billy shrugged. "I guess it's even more like that with Tommy because we only met when we were fifteen. So there's a lot to catch up for." He finished his slice quietly and sighed. He was running out of small talk ideas, and he did not know Cassie very well. But he wanted to know her better. She seemed nice. "Got a boyfriend?" He asked, picking the first thing that came to his mind. To his surprise, the young woman laughed.

"Is that your way of asking me out, Billy?" She joked. "Because that's a yes, right away!" The young man let a smile blossom on his lips and looked down, his ears turning pink. "No but seriously. If you didn't play for the other team, I'd ask you out. I really don't get why you think so little of yourself. You're basically Tommy's double with dark hair and brown eyes. And he's a supermodel." She winked. "But to answer your question, no. I'm single. I work too much, and I don't really have time to mingle for now." Billy nodded in understanding, and Tommy came back with clothes folded over his arm.

"There you go. Oh, I forgot! Billy, your mom called a few days ago, saying she couldn't reach you. She invited us for lunch on Saturday, she told me to tell you, and also that she expects you to call her back. She seemed concerned that you didn't pick up so I told her you were in the middle of a writing spree."

"Okay, thanks. I didn't check my voicemail. I'll call her as soon as possible." The young man mumbled guiltily. It had been a while since he last visited his parents. He really needed to call them more often. Of course, his mother often forgot he also had a cell phone but he also had turned it off anyway. "You'll come with Kate I assume?" He asked, and Tommy nodded. "Hey, wanna come? I still haven't repaid you for the haircut." He told Cassie with a smile and the young woman grinned, chasing a strand of blonde hair out of her face.

"It's a date." She teased, and Billy chuckled. Tommy clapped his hands.

"So we're settled. You'll see, the Kaplans are lovely." He told Cassie and she smiled. "Besides, Billy has two dark haired brothers. They're young, but I'm sure you'll find them tasty too." He wiggled his eyebrows and the young woman guffawed. Billy slapped Tommy's arm gently and he smirked. "What? You can't take her out. Maybe one of them will!"

"Only if she's into teenagers and jocks." He replied with a crooked grin. "No but really. I need more friends. I'll be glad if you came." He turned his face towards her. She nodded.

"I'm down for that. I had nothing to do on Saturday" Cassie replied.

"Okay then." And it felt good. Cassie was nice, he really wanted to know her better. "I apologize in advance for all the weirdness you're going to see at my parents'."

"It's okay. Just text me the address." She told him. "Tommy will give you my number. I gotta run guys, I need to open the salon. See you later!" She sing-songed and exited the apartment. Tommy waved, at the exact same moment his brother did, which made him chuckle.

"Okay, sometimes we're too twins-y." He joked. "At what time do you have to leave?"

"Teddy lives in Brooklyn." Billy replied and Tommy grimaced. "Hey, Brooklyn is nice! It only takes a while to go there." He protested.

"Sure, Brooklyn is nice. That's why you never go there, right?" His twin taunted him gently. "Whatever, just keep me updated."

"I will" Billy promised, before grabbing his clothes and disappearing in his bathroom.

***

When the young man arrived at the address, he stop for a moment to study the building. It was one of those with red colored walls, with an escape staircase hanging to the side of it. The young man looked at his right and noticed that the people who lived here could see the bridge from their windows since it was the first building of the street. Coming closer to the main entryway, Billy was glad to see he would not have to be buzzed in to come in, and entered, climbing the stairs to the third floor. He searched for the sign that would indicate '3C' and spotted it on the right side of the hallway (3A was on his left, and 3B in front of him. The immediately after the door displaying 3C, the staircase kept climbing to higher floors.).

He approached the door, his heart hammering in his chest so hard that he had to stop breathing and count to ten before regaining composure. His cheeks felt hot, and he really hopped he was not too red before he brought his knuckles under the number. He exhaled shakily and knocked, his heart going back to pounding, and he cursed himself. He was just here to sign some goddamn books. He waited for an answer in silence, but nobody came to answer. He frowned, and fetched his phone in the pocket of his coat, opening his mailbox to make sure he was not mistaken. But no. It was the right apartment, and the right time. He tried knocking again, already prepared to leave. He was about to take a step back when the door opened to reveal a gorgeous brown haired guy, wearing only his underwear and Billy felt himself go bright red. He had made a mistake. It was not Teddy's place. Hot Guy, as Billy decided to nickname him, rubbed his face and looked at him, one eye still closed.

"What is it?" He grumbled aggressively, starring Billy down as if he was something particularly disgusting. Okay. More like Hot Asshole, he thought and wet his lips nervously. "What are you doing here? I hope you're not a mormon or something, because I don't have time." That struck some common sense in Billy and he smiled, trying to be sympathetic.

"Hi, uh, is this Teddy Altman's apartment? If no, I made a mistake and I'm sorry." He explained, and he saw the guy's eyebrow shot up.

"Teddy is still asleep. He had a very exhausting night. What is it for?" Hot Asshole replied rather harshly, and Billy backed away towards the staircase.

"Uh... Never mind. Just tell him... Whatever." He mumbled, turning away and dashed down the stairs, hearing the door slam behind him as he went. The guy looked like he had just been awaken, and Teddy was still sleeping. "He has a boyfriend." Billy muttered, eyes wide at the realization when he finally stepped out of the building. "He has a boyfriend." He repeated, this time disappointment exploding in his gut.

"Who?" A woman asked, making him jump. She was sitting on a bench under a tree right in front of the main doors, looking confused. The young man shook his head and turned to walk back to the subway station.

***

A few hours after, Billy was sitting in Central Park. He was sipping a coffee, still confused about what happened at Teddy's. He could not help but feeling jealous. But he had no right to be! After all, Teddy did not speak about anything else than his books. Once again he had imagined things. He laughed bitterly. He was so stupid! So what? A gorgeous guy asked him to sign his book so that had to mean he was interested?

"Wake the fuck up Kaplan." He scolded himself angrily. He had only seen him once, what did he know about Teddy anyway? That was so like him. Being single for that long had really messed up his brain. He got up and threw his half full cup in one of the bin before walking away. He had a novel to write.

Once back at his apartment he threw his phone on his couch and went to sit by the table, opening his laptop and starting to type angrily. He wrote for hours, only stopping to check his notes. He kept typing and typing until he fell asleep with his head next to the keyboard.

***

"So he's got someone? That sucks." Kate, sympathetic, was watching Billy type away at his computer. He was still wearing his clothes from the day before, and his hair was so messy it was sticking out in all directions. He groaned in agreement. The young woman sighed and shrugged. "I don't really get why you ran away. You could have rescheduled. It's no big deal if he is not single, I mean, there are plenty of guys in this city..."

"The thing I don't get is the fact you seemed so determined to push me in his arms before. And now you're giving me the 'there are plenty of guys' talk." Billy interrupted her. "I'll send him an email to reschedule. I promised him to sign his books, and I will. Now can we not talk about it anymore so I can sulk about my stupidity in silence?" He snarked. His best friend nodded with her eyes wide and looked down.

"At least we know he's gay now." She attempted and Billy whipped his head towards her. Kate shut her mouth and went back to reading the magazine she had in her hands. They kept quiet for a little while, the ticking of the keyboard the only sound breaking the silence of the room. The young man finished his sentence and nodded appreciatively.

"Okay. Chapter seven is complete. Do you want me to transfer what I wrote to a flashdrive, or do you want me to email it to you?" He asked and Kate frowned.

"You've already written half of the novel?" She exclaimed in disbelief. "In less than a week? Are you on something Billy?" Kate growled, her nostrils flaring. But her best friend was shaking his head.

"Of course not, Kate! Don't be stupid! I just want you to read it and tell me what you think of it so far. Of course I haven't written half a novel in a few days." He replied flatly. The young woman relaxed immediately.

"You're right. Sorry. It's just that you did it again. You wrote until you fell asleep on your computer. It's the second time this week. This isn't good." She stated, putting her magazine down and crossing her arms.

"I haven't written anything in months, and you've been behind my butt. And now that I'm finally writing, you're not happy either. Honestly, Miss Bishop, do you really know what you want?" He joked half heartedly.

"Yes. I want you to write. I don't want you to ruin your health doing so. I'm warning you. Do that one more time and I'll make sure to call your mother." Kate threatened. The mere thought of having his mother paying Billy a visit because he was acting a bit recklessly was not that enchanting. He pushed his glass back on his nose.

"I hate you." He grumbled. "So? Flashdrive or email?" He insisted, and Kate rolled her eyes, brushing her hair back.

"You know I prefer to have the first half before reading. I don't really like to read a book in six parts." She pointed out, and Billy pouted.

"Come on. You did it before. I just want to get this out of the way. Please?" He knew she would break. Because, more than his publisher, she also was a big fan of his novels. She groaned, and Billy knew she had been defeated.

"Alright. But I'll be extra critical." Kate announced. But the young man also knew she would not. The young woman got up and handed him her flashdrive. Billy plugged it in his laptop and started transferring the files. She studied him while his gaze was on the screen, watching the progression of the transfer.

"I'm going out tonight with Eli and Tommy. I wanted to introduce them, and it will allow me to catch up with Eli. Would you like to join us? Like that Eli won't feel like the third wheel. Besides, you could use a break. Come on, just like when we were in college."

The young man laughed. He got up and went to pour himself some coffee.

"You mean we'll get so drunk we won't be able to stand? Because we already did that a few days ago. I think I had my break already." He teased her. Kate scrunched her nose, amused.

"But this time it's gonna be different, because it won't be a big party full of people with sticks up their asses. Tonight we'll be able to let loose." She ruffled his hair and he snorted, before sitting back down as she did the same, crossing her legs. "Oh come on! We don't go out anymore! I miss it, and don't tell me you don't." She pleaded, and gave him a kicked puppy look. He grabbed her hand with a big smile.

"You forget one thing. I'm broke." He stated, and his smile disappeared. "Besides, you know I'm not really a party guy. I prefer to stay in." Kate leaned in to fetch her purse at her feet.

"Oh, my dearest friend. So aloof. You're breaking my heart. I don't know if I should give you your paycheck." Billy perked up and he instantly leaped to his feet. He extended his hand quickly and his best friend laughed.

"It's not much, I'm warning you. But it's still more than last time. I think more people are discovering your stories. I have received a ton of fan mail from new readers." She grabbed the envelope in her purse and handed it to him. She smiled when Billy opened it and his eyes went wide at the number written on the piece of paper. "What do you say? Can you afford to take a break?" She inquired with a glint of mischief in her eyes. He looked at her, still baffled.

"That's not serious." He mumbled, sitting down, unable to remain standing. "What... Uh... Did you... How is this possible?" He asked, feeling both hot and cold suddenly. "You said it wasn't much! There are four figures!" He exclaimed. Kate was doing her best to contain a wide grin.

"Let's just say a pretty famous person talked about your books on T.V." She announced and he went a bit green. She giggled and grabbed his hand, squeezing it tight. The young man's legs were shaking. He did not know if he liked this or not. Because there was no doubt on who this person was.

"But why?" He spluttered, his voice tiny. A gleeful smile split Kate's face.

"He was asked about his family. So he talked about you. He didn't try and sell your books though. He simply said that his opinion was twisted because you were is brother." Saying that it did not move him would be a lie, Billy thought. "The next thing I know is that there's a peak in the sales of your novels."

"Oh my God." The young man let out, completely floored. "He did that?" A smile split his face as a surge of gratefulness unfurled in his chest. "Did you ask him to?"

"No. He did it by himself. Why? Is it that hard to believe Tommy can do nice things from time to time?" Kate beamed. Billy ran a hand in his hair.

"Not at all. It's just unexpected. I mean, I didn't even know he reads my books. He always seems so... Uninterested when we talk about it you and I." He chuckled.

"You know Tommy. He's filled with all kinds of guilty pleasures. He pretends he doesn't like something, but behind closed doors, he's obsessed." Kate confessed. "He's secretive. He doesn't like the idea of somebody giving him shit for what he likes. So he doesn't talk about it. Or pretends not to care."

"Yeah, like he always does. But this is so kind of him. I need to thank him. At what time do you guys meet Eli?" He asked, closing his laptop after the transfer was done and handed the flashdrive to Kate. She made a little cheering sound.

"After he gets out of work. He was doing the night shifts this week, so he has the week end free. This is going to be awesome. I'll text you the time and place, okay?"

Billy nodded. He let out an excited noise.

"I'm going to cash this in. Wait for me, I'm gonna shower and get dressed, then I'll buy you..." He checked the hour. It was too late for lunch. "Uh. I'll buy you whatever you want?" He attempted, and Kate laughed.

"Go get showered! And then you may offer me a waffle." She grinned. The young man bowed jokingly.

"Anything for my best friend."

He couldn't help but hum happily in the shower, suddenly, all the situation with Teddy did not seem so bad after all. Okay, he had a boyfriend. So what? It was a pity, but not the end of the world. They had only talked once, and the only things the young man knew were that he was a fireman, and that he liked his books. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he had been silly, and going a bit too fast.

Once clean, he stopped in front of his mirror, drying himself. His stubble was growing back, but he did not want to shave. He toweled his hair and eyed the full jar of hair wax. He shrugged and styled his hair. It came out way less clean than when Cassie had done it. But it would have to go. He exited the bathroom and got dressed. Kate entered while he was buttoning his red shirt.

"Are you ready?" She asked and he nodded.

"Just let me put a sweater on." He told her. He slipped a black v neck sweater over his shirt, careful to not mess up his hair. "Let's go."

***

"I'll tell you what, I'm exhausted. Can't wait to be home. I'll reenact 'Sleeping Beauty' all the week end." Nate told his friends, and they all agreed in a chorus of groans.

"This is torture. I barely slept and they make me come back." America groaned, and Eli scowled. Teddy, on the other hand was watching them with amused eyes. He had kicked Greg out the day before, telling him he never wanted to see his face again, and had spent the afternoon waiting for Billy, who never came. He had shrugged it off, thinking something had come up. He was debating on wether to send him another email to reschedule, and cursed himself again for not waking up on time. Maybe he had come but since Greg and him were both sleeping, they did not hear him knocking. That relieved the young man in a way. He did not wish to have to explain who Greg was.

"Come on! We didn't even do a full shift last night. We have the whole week end off starting this evening. We just have to power through today." Eli tried to cheer them up. "By the way, I'm going out tonight to catch up with an old friend of mine. Do yo want to join me?" He asked them, and they all made faces at him.

"We're exhausted, man. Didn't you hear what I said?" Nate protested. "Sleeping Beauty, remember?" Eli eyed him with a scowl.

"Sleeping, yes. Beauty, no. Come on! She's bringing her boyfriend, I don't wanna be stuck alone with a couple." He demanded. America and Teddy shared a look, and the young woman started grinning.

"Is it the brunette you were talking to at the party?" She asked teasingly. "Rumor has it that she's your ex." Teddy let out a quiet laugh.

"Exactly. But before that, she was one of my closest friends. I haven't seen her in a while, so there's no way I'm not going. But please, can you come with me? It'll be less awkward." He laughed. The three others studied his face.

"Okay, I'm in." Teddy decided, patting his friend's shoulder. America groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Better not be a plot to get her back, Bradley." She threatened. "Because I'm not up for that. I'm coming, but if you start flirting, I'm out." Eli looked as if the young woman had insulted him.

"I'm not trying to get her back. She's an old friend who happens to be my ex. I just want to catch up, I told you." He protested. "How can you think I'd do something like that?" He grumbled. America shrugged.

"Well, do as you wish. Tonight, I'll go to bed." Nate insisted.

"Then it'll be only the three of us." Eli mumbled. "Thanks anyway Nate." He said ironically. The young man gave him a shit eating grin. Teddy and AMerica shook their heads. The two guys were so childish. Always bickering.

"Who's this girl anyway?" Teddy asked. "I know she apparently was with Billy at the party."

"Yeah, she's dating his brother." Eli replied. "I guess the guy couldn't attend. But yeah. She's Derek Bishop's daughter, the C.E.O of the biggest publishing business of the east coast. She was already determined to replace him once he'd retire. We parted ways in high school, right after graduation. We kept in touch during summer, before we both started college. Then life got in the way. It was a surprise when I heard her father was giving money to rebuild the station. So when I saw her at the party, I decided I wanted to reconnect. After all, she was also my best friend." He explained, a smile blossoming on his face. America seemed skeptical.

"Yeah, right. You really sound like you want a second round with her." She pointed out, and Teddy nodded in agreement, looking sorry. The young black man huffed.

"Come on! I'm a twenty eight guy in New York City. Do you really think I wanna settle down?" He groaned.

"I have to agree on that. What guy would wanna settle before their thirties?" Nate asked mischievously. Teddy snorted.

"Well I do." He stated defiantly, challenging his friend to make a snide comment about it.

"Ah, but you're a romantic guy, Ted. Of course you want that. But us?" The young man grinned, pulling Eli by the neck. "We're all about getting laid." Eli smiled but regained composure.

"You guys are gross." America groaned, making them all laugh.

"Okay, someone's cranky." Nate fake whispered. The young woman snorted and went to sit away from them, plugging her earphones in her ears and closing her eyes, leaning back on her chair. Teddy shook his head.

"You know, it's not everybody who is comfortable with this kind of locker room talk. It doesn't mean she's cranky." He told Nate gently, patting is shoulder. "And if you ask me, she's more of a lady killer than you'll ever be." He taunted him, causing Eli to whoop and laugh so hard he almost fell off his chair. "Gonna work out. Call me when the shift is over." And he left them, Nate still gaping in shock and Eli laughing so hard he was crying.

***

Teddy could feel the soreness slowly gaining his body. He was getting changed, removing his uniform to put on his street clothes. He blessed the fact that he had chosen to take some jeans instead of sweatpants when he left his apartment. He put on his jacket and smiled at Eli, who was shoving his stuff in his Locker.

"Where do you guys said you would meet?" He asked the other young man, leaning against the wall.

"At the bar across the street. It's the only one I know, so Kate obliged." He replied before slamming the locker shut. He put his bag over his shoulder and they were joined by America. She had tied her hair in a ponytail and was wearing skinny black jeans and a stars and stripes hoodie. The boys starred at her, slightly confused.

"Don't you have a jacket or something? You're going to freeze out there." Eli observed.

"I never get cold." The young woman replied proudly. "Shall we go now?" The others nodded and they started walking, exiting the station. Teddy yawned, his eyes watering instantly. He tightened his jacket around him as a gust of wind swirled around them. The three of them proceeded in silence towards the bar when Eli's phone beeped. He unlocked the screen and smiled. He typed a reply quickly and shoved his phone back in his pocket.

"They're already here, come on."

They were greeted by loud music when they entered, and Eli quickly spotted Kate who was waving at them with a delighted smile. Next to her was a young man with white hair and green eyes. He was squinting suspiciously.

"Hey Kate!" Eli said as the young woman got up to hug him. She took a step back as Tommy got up and extended his hand, a cold smile blossoming on his lips.

"Eli, this is Tommy, my boyfriend." She introduced, and the young man nodded.

"I've seen the billboards. Impressive." He told Tommy politely, and the other simply gave him a small nod. "Anyway, this is America Chavez. She's one of our colleagues. You already know Teddy." Eli motioned to his friends. America simply extended her hand to Kate, then to Tommy. They both shook it politely, but at the mention of Teddy's name, Tommy perked up and a shit eating grin appeared on his face. Teddy on the other hand was baffled. In front of him was standing a buffier and colorless version of Billy, and that caused him to double check. He skipped a beat before shaking the white haired young man's hand, his brows knitted together.

"Pleased to meet you, Teddy." Tommy grin grew wider, and it made Teddy feel more and more uncomfortable.

"You guys remember Billy?" Kate asked, motioning to the young wan who was sitting in the far end of the booth. Teddy's heart leaped when he got up to shake ends with all of them. God, he looked so good with his black v-neck sweater with sleeves rolled up that revealed corded forearms and his tight jeans that highlighted the most perfect pair of legs he had ever seen on a guy...

_And okay. Stop right there Altman. Do not drool over the guy, no matter how tight his jeans are._

And God are they tight, he thought, when Billy turned his back to him to shake hands with America, who was smiling warmly. Then the young man turned to him, barely looking at his face.

"Hey." He greeted softly, smiling.

"Hey." The writer replied, but somehow not meeting his eyes. He got back to his seat, focusing back on his drink. That surprised Teddy. Why was he being so distant?

"Okay, let's order!" America called, trying to break the tension that was slowly thickening around them. "What do you guys want?" she asked her colleagues.

"A beer." Eli replied, taking a seat next to Kate.

"Same." Teddy mumbled, sitting next to Eli, leaving the spot next to Billy open. He did not want to scare him away, or anything. He looked at the other's thin frame. He seemed so tense, his shoulders hunched, his eyes never leaving the amber colored liquid in his glass. What was wrong? He wondered. But he did not get enough time to really ponder on this subject, because America came back with their drinks. He took his own, and started sipping quietly, trying to not gaze at Billy too much.

***

It was awkward sitting there while Teddy was just a few feet away from him. He did not know what to say to him. However, Eli and Tommy were now bonding, sharing embarrassing stories about Kate, who was giggling between the two of them. They were apparently trying to outmatch each other. If only they knew, the young man smirked, thinking about some stories he could tell as well. Eli was in the middle of sharing a particularly embarrassing experience of skinny deeping that had gone wrong when America touched Billy's elbow gently. He turned his face towards her.

"So, I heard that you were a writer? That's impressive." She said gently, and Billy looked down, feeling his ears heat up.

"Oh, thanks." He was not used to be in the spotlight when he got out and met strangers. Mostly, he just spent his time drinking quietly. He had not expected any of them to speak to him tonight. The young woman licked her lips to chase the few traces of beer lingering on them.

"Teddy told me you were very good." She confessed, and her colleague choked on his beer. Billy turned his face towards the blonde young man for the first time since the beginning of the evening.

"He did?" He marveled, a wide smile blooming on his lips and Teddy rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, it's still strange to see people liking my scribbling." He mumbled shyly, and a chorus of groans erupted among the people present around the table. Teddy seemed completely dazzled.

"You really have no idea, do you?" He said, disbelief tainting his voice. Eli, squinting, gave the young man a lopsided grin.

"Yeah, why don't you tell us about it, Ted?" He teased, his deep voice full of mischief, making his friend blush instantly. They all started to stare at him as he babbled, his eyes darting to each and every of them. Finally, he muttered a quiet "bathroom" and fled, leaving them all sitting with a confused expression. America shoved her elbow in Eli's ribs, making him yelp.

"Did you really have to do that? Come on! Stop making fun of him! Imagine how you would react if one of your favorite actor or singer was sitting in front of you! That's really lame, Bradley." She grumbled. Billy on the other hand was starring at the bathroom door. He got up, surprising everyone. He froze a little when he saw their questioning expressions.

"I... Uh... Need something stronger than a beer." He stuttered, and walked away from their table. and if he heard Tommy mutter "right." under his breath, he faked to ignore him. When he arrived in front of the bathroom door, he decided that entering would be creepy,so he just leaned against the wall, waiting. He saw a few strangers eyeing him with curiosity, and looked down shyly. When Teddy came out and stopped in front of him, surprised, he let a small smile form on his face. "Hey." He said quietly.

"Hey." The fireman replied, wetting his lips nervously. Billy bit the bullet and sighed.

"I'm sorry I didn't message you to reschedule for the signing. I think I pissed your boyfriend off the other day." He looked down shyly, so he missed the flurry of expressions that passed on Teddy's face.

"My what now?" He uttered, frowning. Billy looked up, suddenly blushing bright red. "I don't have a boyfriend." The fireman told him quietly, almost like an apology. The writer's eyebrows shot up and he pushed his fists nervously into his pockets.

"But... The guy that opened your door told me you were still sleeping... He seemed really pissed..."

"Oh, you mean Greg!" Teddy realized. "God, he's not my boyfriend... Uh... Did he say he was?" He demanded, rubbing the back of hi neck. "Because, he's not. I'm single. He's just an old friend who needed a place to crash." He announced. It seemed so important to him to clarify that, and to make sure Billy understood.

"I'm sorry I ran. I just... I didn't want to make a scene. I'm sorry." He mumbled, feeling ridiculous. He let out a sheepish laugh, which escalated in a full laughter when Teddy joined him. "I'm so stupid sometimes."

"Don't worry. I'm stupid too." The fireman said and they both started laughing again. It felt weird to Teddy. Suddenly, Billy was not just one of his favorite writers. He was also a young awkward guy, just like him.

"Uhm... We should head back. Uh, what do you do tomorrow? I can stop by if you want." The dark haired young man proposed, and Teddy nodded.

"Oh, sure. Let's do that. I have all the weekend to myself. I promise Greg won't be here this time." He joked, his eyes shining brightly. "Let's go back to the others, before they start wondering where we went."

They headed back, the others smiling at them and going back to their animated conversation. They drank and laughed, and, since America had moved to sit next to Eli, Teddy got to sit besides Billy.

All in all, The young fireman thought, it was a good evening.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, a long overdue chapter. I'm sorry I've kept waiting those of you who read my story. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter =). As always, a big thank you to Laura, my beta. She's amazing.
> 
> Oh, also, I have no idea on how to put a link here, but you can come say hi on tumblr, I've got the same username ^^

Billy met Cassie, Tommy and Kate around eleven and a half on saturday morning and they all made it to the Kaplans' house in the Upper West Side. Rebecca and Jeff were pleased to see their son and his twin brother as well as Kate. If they looked surprised when Billy introduced Cassie to them, they did not mention it. Having lunch with his family, especially after he brought a girl was an absolute torture for Billy. Everyone was side eyeing him, except for Tommy and Kate, and he had to explain to his mother (in a very awkward talk while he was helping her in the kitchen) she was just a friend and that yes, he was still gay and absolutely not playing with Cassie's feelings. He had to tell her about the circumstances of their meeting, but he cleverly avoided to talk about Teddy, otherwise, Rebecca Kaplan, being who she was, would never have let go of it. Then around dessert, Tommy acted like a total shithead, much to his twin brother's horror. Putting his spoon down he smiled at Billy.

"So, at what time do you meet Teddy today?" He asked, ignoring Kate's attempts to silence him. He only realized his mistake when he saw Rebecca and Jeff perk up to stare at their eldest. Josh and Ben, Billy's younger brothers started smirking knowingly.

"Teddy? Who is Teddy?" Rebecca asked, as if it did not matter, but the glint she had in her eyes said otherwise. Jeff simply kept studying his son, waiting for his answer. Billy tried hard to fight the blush that was creeping up his face and gutted Tommy in his mind. Tommy who was now very interested in the food in his plate, while Kate never let her angry gaze away from him.

"Uhm... Teddy is a fireman..." Billy attempted, and saw his mother's eyebrows shoot up, and his father's face split with a knowing grin.

"You're dating a fireman?" Josh asked with a teasing smile, raising his glass to his brother, who started babbling. His frustration increased when he realized everyone was staring at him with confused expressions, and he had to stop and take a deep breath before resuming explaining.

"I'm not dating anyone. I met him at the opening of the new fire station. He's a fan of my writing, so I agreed to sign some of the books he has. Nothing more." The young man finished in a sheepish voice. Rebecca resumed eating her slice of pie. But deep down, Billy knew it was not over.

"So Cassie, how is it working with Tommy? I hope he doesn't give you much of a grief." Jeff joked, cleverly changing subjects, making Cassie chuckle and Tommy protest slightly.

"No, it's actually very easy to work with him. He's not as swollen headed as some other models can be." The young woman stated. "It's a real pleasure working with him."

"And, she does miracles with my hair." Tommy added proudly. "And with Billy's." He teased his twin brother who huffed. Rebecca finished her glass of wine and smiled.

"I have to say I agree. We've been trying to tame Billy's hair for years, and somehow you managed to do it. What is your secret?" The older woman asked gently, and Cassie smiled.

"Well, just like Tommy, I have to do it very thoroughly. I swear I've never seen such messy hair before." She confessed with a little laugh, ignoring Tommy's protests. "But messy hair suits the both of them." The young woman added gently. They all let out small laughs, and resumed eating, chatting about one thing or another. Billy however, found it difficult to swallow his last bits of apple pie, because every time he raised his gaze, he saw his mother studying him as if she was trying to read his mind. God, he wanted to murder Tommy so much. His mother squinted while looking at him and he felt a blush creep up his face. He looked down hastily, hoping she had not seen it and resumed trying to eat his pie despite the knot in his throat.

***

"So, can you explain?" Rebecca asked her son while they were doing the dishes together. It was an excuse to have Billy fess up, and the young man eyed the dishwasher bitterly, as if it was the one that gave him away. "Billy?" His mother insisted softly. Billy looked at her, his face slightly pleading.

"Mom, come on, it's nothing." He said, but Rebecca squinted, a little smirk appearing on her lips, which made the young man grow even more comfortable. Once again, he wondered about this sort of super power all mothers seemed to have that caused their children to feel like they had to justify and explain everything. It still fucked him up how easily she managed to get every pieces of information she wanted from him. He sighed painfully and looked at her. "I told you. Teddy is just a fan." But his mother rolled her eyes, annoyed.

"If he's just a fan, like you say, why do you look so uncomfortable at the mention of his name? You know, it's okay to date someone Billy." She said, removing her gloves and touching his face tenderly. But her son huffed, his mother seeing right through him once again. He hated when she did that.

"We're not dating, Mom. I swear." He stated firmly and Rebecca smiled.

"Okay, I believe you. But just know that your father and I would be delighted to meet this young man if you ever became close. I'm happy you met someone, honey. It'll change from your fictional characters" The woman declared gently. She studied his face for a few seconds and let a sigh escape her mouth. "You're very handsome, sweetie. You can thank Cassie for taming your mop of hair. I got tired of not seeing your eyes." She squeezed his arm and went back to washing the dishes, leaving her son baffled at the compliment. Not because Rebecca did not compliment him, but because she had done it with so much more affection this time that it made his eyes water.

"I love you, Mom." He said softly, wrinkling his nose to prevent the tears from falling. Rebecca kept her back to him and waved.

"I love you too. Now shoo, go see if Tommy hasn't done anything stupid with your brothers." She said in a fake detached tone, but the writer could hear how rough her voice sounded. A touched smile blossomed on Billy's lips. She was acting the way she had when he had decided to tell her he was gay. Telling him he was handsome and that she loved him. The young man exited te kitchen, wiping his eyes discreetly and spotted his father laughing gently while chatting with Cassie. Kate was reading a sheet of paper next to a very nervous Ben, so Billy knew his younger brother was showing her one of his essay to get some advice. Josh and Tommy were playing video games, sitting on the floor in front of the T.V, everything was calm until Tommy lost and grabbed Josh to immobilize him in a headlock, causing a chorus of protests all around the living room.

Rebecca arrived three seconds after with a very displeased look on her face. She stopped when she saw what was happening and her angry mom facade collapsed for half a second to show a rather amused face, but she regained composure faster than she let her scowl slip.

"Thomas Shepherd do not force me to ground you!" The woman threatened, putting her hands on her hips, and Tommy instantly got up on his feet. Jeff shook his head and muttered '"boys" while rolling his eyes to Cassie, who fought hard to stifle a laugh. Kate sighed and grabbed her boyfriend by the arm.

"I really can't take you anywhere." She grumbled and Tommy straightened, hesitating between laughing and apologizing. He chose the later.

"Sorry Rebecca. That was just a joke." He looked down bashfully and the woman softened. She hummed and squinted.

"Fine. But you two stop heckling around. Josh, you're twenty-three. Act on it." She scolded her second son gently.

"Anyway, we're going to be late." Kate said, looking at Billy and then the clock insistently. She looked at Ben and smiled. "Your essay is really good, I'm sure you're gonna ace it. Text me the results, okay?" She asked and the youngest of the Kaplans' boys nodded. But Josh was not ready to let them go just yet.

"Late for Teddy-the-fireman?" He asked with fake innocence, before freezing when he felt his father's hand fall on his shoulder.

"You know what son? You really don't know when to shut your mouth." He declared with a chuckle, and Josh bit his lip under his Jeff's gaze. Then Billy, Tommy, Kate and Cassie proceeded towards the exit with the Kaplans on their heels, Billy was promising to call more often and Tommy and Kate agreed to come back to have dinner with them later during the week.

"Cassie, it was a delight meeting you." Jeff said, Rebecca's hand on his shoulder. His wife nodded in agreement, and grabbed the young woman's hand.

"Come back whenever you want, we would be happy to have you over for dinner too. I'm glad Billy finally made some friends." She whispered, but it was loud enough so everyone could hear. Billy rolled is eyes, pecked his mother's cheek and squeezed his father's arm.

"Goodbye Mom, Dad. I'll call you." He said and waited for everyone to say goodbye before starting to walk away from his parents' house. He checked his phone to read the last email Teddy had sent him the night before after they parted ways at the bar.

  
Teddy Altman   
to me   
12hrs ago

Hi again, and sorry, well, again, for the confusion about Greg. I'm available after four, I have to run some errands first. Is it okay for you?

Take care.

Teddy-

And of course Billy had replied it was okay for him, before collapsing on his bed with a huge grin on his face. As they turned the corner of the street, Billy spotted the comic book store he used to go to when he was a teen. Mostly because it was a few feet away from his parents' house. He smiled at the others who were giving him puzzled looks regarding his sudden stop.

"I'll see you guys later. I wanna buy some comics." He announced with a big smile. Kate chuckled and Cassie nodded. Tommy, however, rolled his eyes.

"Okay." The white haired young man said. "Have fun with your men in tights." He said, shaking his head. He had never understood Billy's passion for super heroes. The writer smiled meanly.

"Oh, I will. Lots of fun, multiple times." He replied, snorting when he saw the look of disbelief on their faces.

"Did you just make a lewd joke?" Tommy asked, his eyebrows high on is forehead.

"See you around." Billy simply replied and went to the store, already feeling joy bubble in his chest. The first thing he noticed when he got in was that it was not Stan behind the counter. It pained him a little, but Stan was already a rather old man whenBilly was in high school. He was probably retired now. Billy smiled weakly at the man behind the counter who just looked at him completely unimpressed. SO the young man started looking through the stacks of comics, the tension in his shoulders easing very slowly. For the first time in a very long time, Billy was doing something he enjoyed just for the sake of doing it. Not like writing for example. Not that he did not enjoy it, but it was his job now, so it came attached with all the stress and worries a job could bring. He smiled dearly when he found the Young Justice issue he was looking for and put it down on his pile, who was already standing rather tall. Deciding it was enough for today, he lifted the comic books in his arms and turned around in order to get to the counter only to crash into someone and be sent staggering backwards. A firm hand helped him regain his balance, and Billy looked up to thank the person and apologize, relieved he had not broken anything or dropped the comics, but his throat suddenly went dry. In front of him was standing a very flushed Teddy, a thick stack of comics under his right arm while the left was still extended in front of him, his hand still tight around the writer's upper arm.

_Oh, God. Do not stare!_ Billy thought, knowing it was already too late. Teddy looked absolutely gorgeous, a few locks of golden hair escaping the navy blue beanie he was wearing, his brown jacket tight around his torso and arms, and his dark jeans highlighting the muscles of his legs. The writer's throat was still dry as he fought to say something. FInally, he eructed, at the same time Teddy started babbling.

"My parents live nearby."

"I'm not stalking you, I swear!"

The young man's eyes went wide at that, and Teddy blushed bright red at the enormity of what he had just said. Billy offered him a weak smile.

"Well, glad you're not a stalker." He attempted to joke, but a little spark of doubt lit up in his mind. "You'd be the first one." He confessed, as Teddy shook his head nervously. True, Billy had not thought Teddy could be a crazy fan, no matter the lame Misery excuses he had dropped to avoid seeing the fireman. But now that the blonde young man had said the word, Billy was starting to feel slightly uneasy. What was Teddy doing in his favorite comic book shop, in his parents' neighborhood? Billy replayed their first meeting in his mind. There was nothing that could prove Teddy could be crazy, but the way he had said 'I'm not stalking you' seemed a bit too rushed for the writer.

"I'm... No, really. I'm not stalking you. This is like my favorite comic book shop. I know Stan, and I've been coming here since I was like... Fourteen." Teddy explained, probably seeing the spark of suspicion in Billy's eyes. "Oh my God. What were the odds..." He thought out loud, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable. I should have known... Your bio says you've grown in the upper west side..." And Teddy's voice died, probably realizing those words could make the situation worse. Billy huffed, relaxing. If Teddy knew Stan, it meant that he was not lying. Stan only gave his first name to his best clients.

"So you know where I grew up, uh? God, you're such a fanboy." He teased, and smiled when he saw the other young man relax, and chuckle awkwardly.

"You must think I'm a groupie." The fireman replied sorrily, but Billy shook his head, still smiling.

"When I see how far my brother's fans can go, I can tell you you are nothing like a groupie." He reassured Teddy, who snorted. "So, running errands means buying comics?" Billy asked, feeling a bit curious, and wanting to know what Teddy was reading.

"Yeah. I'm a nerd. There, I said it." The blonde young man declared, as they started moving towards the counter. "But I try to be reasonable and not buy the whole store every time. It's hard though." He confessed, eyes full of mischief.

"I know. I have three bookshelves full of comics at home, and somehow, it's never enough." Billy replied without really thinking, stopping when he heard Teddy gasp. He turned to face the other and bit his lips not to laugh. The fireman's eyes were full of wonder, looking at Billy as if he had just confessed being the owner of Disneyland. Teddy regained composure though, probably recalling it was not adult behavior to stare at people like that. It felt so natural, like talking to an old friend, Billy thought. There was something about Teddy that made him forget he was one of his readers. Maybe the fact that he was not asking questions about is writing. Teddy who was currently explaining that he had a nice collection himself, but not as impressive. Billy bit his lip and talked before he could convince himself not to. "Oh, well, if you want you can borrow some of mine." He proposed, before feeling his cheeks heat up. He turned his back on Teddy and went to the counter, trying to will his blush away. The cashier rolled his eyes annoyingly, and registered Billy's purchase one book at a time, keeping silent.

Teddy could not believe his ears. Had Billy just offered to lend him some of his comic books? In his mind, he could hear Nate's voice chanting 'nerd, nerd, nerd, you're getting a bo-nerd!' and he almost looked down to check if it was true. He fought the urge to slap himself.

_Come on Theodore! Stop acting like you're twelve! It's just comic books! Not a proposal._

"Sure, that'd be awesome!" He heard himself reply, and put his purchase down on the counter as Billy was paying for his own, avoiding eye contact. Teddy noticed the pinkish hue tinting the other young man's ears and couldn't help but grin like an idiot. His smile quickly faltered, though, when he saw the cashier glaring at him. "Is there a problem?" He asked, unsure.

"Get a room." The man replied flatly, and started to register Teddy's purchase, leaving him and Billy gaping and blushing bright red.

***

"Sorry about the mess, I wanted to start cleaning tomorrow." Teddy declared as Billy entered his apartment behind him. They were both tense, avoiding eye contact, doing nothing but small talk ever since they had left the comic book shop. The fireman's hands were clammy, and he rushed to put his new comics on the shelf in his living room. Billy, on the other hand, was looking around him. Teddy's place looked like one of those old warehouses turned into apartments. He even had a metal staircase leading to a mezzanine. But, on the contrary to what Teddy was saying, the place was really clean, all decorated in black and brown.

"Your place is nice." He commented, feeling instantly stupid when Teddy turned his face towards him with his eyebrows high on his forehead. Okay, maybe it was not the best thing to say after the cashier's comment.

"Thanks. I, uh... Inherited it from my father." Teddy replied in a strained voice before turning back and fetching a few books from his shelf. Billy was biting his lips nervously. So the cashier had obviously upset the other young man, who was now acting cold and distant. Maybe he did not want the writer to get the wrong idea? That was surely it! He did not want Billy to think he was flirting or something. The young man felt his features collapse as he stared at the fireman's broad back.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He mumbled, forcing a smile on his face. "So, what do you want me to write?" He asked, his tone too enthusiastic to sound natural. Teddy turned around once again, frowning.

"You don't have to feel bad about it you know. It happened a while back." The blonde young man said, cracking a smile for te first time since they arrived. "Just sign them, it'll be perfect." He added shyly. He offered a pen to the writer who smiled painfully. He opened the first book and signed it, going quickly through the rest of them, each first tome of his three ongoing series.

"There." Billy mumbled, handing back the books with a small nod. He stood there awkwardly after Teddy took them back. "I gotta go. I... Uh... Yeah. Gotta get back to my writing and all." He said as he slowly retreated to the entryway. Teddy was going to replace his books on the shelf and he nodded, absent-mindedly. But then he seemed to realize something and put his books down on the table and shoved his hands in his pockets before facing the writer.

"Before you leave, I just wanted to say sorry about the Cashier. That was a dick move from him. I mean, I know it must be weird to have one of your fans running into you not far from your parents' house, and mention stalking right after. I promise I'm not some creepy guy, and I'm not going to harass you or anything. I'm also sorry for the way I act around you, I'm not this empty head I seem to be. But I understand if you're scared now. I was just very excited to meet you." The fireman declared, very fast, his head dropped and his fists tight in his pockets. Billy gaped for a second. He did not really know what to answer.

"Wanna grab a coffee?" He finally decided to ask, thinking he was probably making a mistake and that Teddy was going to blow him off. "Don't worry, I'm not going to harass you either." He added, hoping the fireman would get that he was joking, and seeing the smile that split Teddy's face, he had succeeded. "No but seriously. I told you I've seen how stalkers act. One time a guy followed Tommy around for three months before he got arrested. I haven't seen you following me, so I guess it's okay." He joked. "As for the cashier, it was clearly a shitty move. Don't sweat it, it's okay." That was it then. Teddy only felt admiration for him? It was stupid, and Billy knew it. But he could not help but feel disappointed. Then again, they had only been talking about his books, he should have seen that coming.

"We're cool then?" Teddy asked, offering his hand to Billy, who shook it with a wide smile.

"We're cool."

***

"And you didn't even try to see if it could go further?" Nate grumbled, outraged. "You just drank a coffee while talking about comics? No attempts at kissing? But you were on a date!" The young man protested, taking a swig of his beer. Eli, who was sitting in an armchair next to the couch, let out a sound between a snort and a sigh, while America rolled her eyes. Teddy shrugged.

"Listen, I just told him I would not harass him. I was not going to try and kiss him like that!" He replied flatly. "Seriously Nate, you're really immature sometimes." He chuckled, punching his friend in the arm playfully. "Besides, it was not a date." He stated, his features collapsing hen he saw that each and everyone of his friends started avoiding his gaze. "Right?"

"Sweetheart, you maybe both think it was not, but trust me, it was." America told the blonde fireman. "And with that, the mating dance begins." She teased him gently, causing Eli and Nate to burst out in laughter.

Even though it will be hard sine you didn't even get his number." Nate pointed out, scratching his cheek. Teddy huffed.

"I didn't ask for it on purpose." He reminded them.

"Oh, come on, Ted! You like the guy! What is wrong in asking for his number?" Eli asked, putting his beer down on the coffee table.

"I'm a fan! I want him to feel safe with me before even starting to talk about dating. Scratch that, before even starting to think about it." Teddy declared, getting up to go fetch some potato chips in the kitchen. "I think it was weird enough for him that my favorite comic book shop is in his parents' neighborhood, so I'm not going to press the issue, even if I would love to actually take him on a date. But then again, he might think I only like him because of hi books." He thought out loud, bringing back the chips to his friends.

"Well, do you?" Eli inquired, looking straight at the other fireman.

"No." The blonde young man said. "I... Do you remember the party at the fire station?" He asked, blushing bright red all of the sudden.

"Of course I do. It was last week." Eli stated as if Teddy had said something stupid.

"Well, when I first saw him at the bar, I didn't recognize him. I thought 'wow, this guy is cute' and I was debating whether to talk to him or not when it dawned on me that it was him. That was when I started making a fool of myself because the only thing I could talk about were his books. And we've only been talking about them until this afternoon when we grabbed a coffee. He is cute, and smart. He does amazing pop culture references. So yeah. He's my favorite author, but he's also a very charming guy. And I'd like to know this guy, not just the author. But I don't know how to tell him that."

The young man plopped down on the other armchair and ate a few chips. America took a swig of her beer and crossed her legs.

"Then ask him to hang out with you, or even better, let's ask his brother and Kate to hang out with us someday. Like that, he will not feel like you're trying to corner him, and you will have the occasion to spend some time with him. What do you say?" Eli asked, only to be cut by America.

"Of course you would mention Kate." She snarked, and Eli gave her a very confused look. "Oh, don't give me that look, Bradley. For someone who claims to be over her, you sure as hell were flirting last time." The young man let out an indignant noise.

"I was not flirting!" He protested angrily. "We broke up ages ago! And why do you care anyway?"

"I just like to make sure you boys don't make any foolish things." The young woman told him as Nate giggled, stopping when Eli turned his eyes on him.

"And you? Weren't you supposed to spend your week end in your bed?" He asked, glad to have a reason to change subjects. He knew America would not believe him anyway, so why would he bother? Teddy flinched.

"Hey guys, we're not here to fight." He reminded them gently, and they all stopped to look at him. He smiled softly, and they all relaxed. "Okay." He sighed with relief.

"So, did you get some news from your asshole friend?" America asked him, which made Teddy grimace. The two other guys frowned, not knowing what the young woman was talking about. Teddy shook is head and took a large gulp of beer.

"Not one word since last time. I guess he didn't like being thrown out, and that I told him to get out of my life."

"Wait, who are we talking about?" Nate asked.

"My former best friend, who's been using me for years now. So I got rid of him." Teddy told him. "I should have done that years ago." He shrugged. The guys did not insist after that, and the young man felt grateful. He did not feel like talking about Greg anyway. The fireman realized he was being a buzz kill when everyone went silent.

They left a few hours after, leaving Teddy all alone in his apartment. The young man dropped down on his couch with a loud sigh and eyed the three books Billy had signed and he had forgotten to re-shelf. Getting up, the fireman grabbed them and walked towards his shelf, humming a nameless tune. As he was about to put the last book back in place, it slipped from his hands and fell open on the floor. It was only after picking it up that Teddy actually read the writer's inscription.

  
 _To Teddy,_   
_I think being a nerd is cool. I should know, I am one too. So keep being a nerd, it looks good on you._   
_Best wishes,_   
_Billy._

"It looks good on you..." Teddy whispered, a dopey smile spreading on his lips. The young man stood there with his eyes glued to Billy's handwritten words for a few more minutes before he put the book back. Shaking his head he let out a nervous chuckle. "I'm fucked."

***

"What do you mean by 'I left a personal note in Teddy's book'?" Kate's voice erupted through the speaker, making Billy want to crawl in a hole and die.

"That was really stupid! I wrote it before he started rambling about not wanting to harass me. God Kate, I thought that maybe there was something, but it turns out it's just admiration. I should have known, w've only been talking about my books, all the time. And now there's a note from me that can't be erased on the first page of his copy of my first novel. I'm ridiculous. I thought I was going to die of shame when we were having coffee earlier. Oh shit, he probably read it as soon as he got home!" The writer panicked, pushing his glasses on top of his head before rubbing his face which was red with shame. On the other end of the line, Kate let out a loud excited noise.

"What? You were having coffee earlier?" She shouted in her best friend's ear. The young man winced and bit his lips, once again cursing himself for not shutting his mouth. "You went on a date with him and you still think there's nothing?" Kate protested, and Billy could almost see her scowl. Before she could finish, he started protesting. "Cut the crap Kaplan! It was a date! Damnit! You boys are really stupid..." She cut him, grumbling.

"Oh come on, Kate!" Billy sneered. "I told you he only feels admiration for me! He said it himself. And I made a fool of myself by writing a stupid compliment in his book. Remind me to stop listening to you and Tommy next time. See you around." He groaned before he hung up. And okay, that was harsh. Kate did not have to pay the price of his own mistakes and stupidity, but Billy was hurt in his pride, and he could not help but remember it had all begun with Kate and Tommy's shenanigans. The young man started regretting his thoughts as soon as they formed in his head.

An hour after, Billy was standing at Kate's front door with a box full of donuts and a bottle of wine. Kate opened the door and cocked an eyebrow at him. He looked down and then met her gaze.

"Forgive your asshole best friend?" He asked in a tiny voice, offering the box and the bottle to her. Kate frowned and sighed, smiling softly.

"Like I would stay mad at you." She said, before pulling him close and hugging him. She broke the embrace and guided him inside. Billy noticed his twin brother washing the dishes, absolutely not surprised by his presence. Tommy waved with a soft smile and went back to his business as he and Kate went to sit by the table. "Okay. I say we do not talk about Teddy. Let's do something else. Wanna watch a movie?" She asked, as he removed his long red scarf and started unbuttoning his coat.

"And get drunk." Billy said, miserable. Kate nodded, and Tommy joined them.

"Pity party?" He asked, running a hand in his white hair, his green eyes full of compassion.

"Yup." His twin brother replied, and Tommy nodded.

"I'm getting some glasses."

"I'm picking the movie." Kate said, tying her black hair in a bun.

They all settled down with a glass full of red wine and the box of donut opened over the glass coffee table. Kate was scrolling through Netflix, humming quietly. Tommy was studying Billy's face.

"Okay. Distraction. Since we can talk about you-know-what and you-know-who, guess who met their in-laws?" The young man asked. He smiled when he saw his twin brother light up.

"Oh my... Really? Tell me! What happened?" Billy asked, grateful to have something to talk about instead of sulking (again).

"I think it's safe to say they appreciate me. Well, besides my New Jersey accent." Tommy joked, and got a pillow in his face from Kate.

"Mom only mentioned it once!" She protested. "They loved you right away. And you know that." The young woman pointed out as Tommy gave her a lopsided grin. The first notes of a song took the boys by surprise.

"Pocahontas?" Tommy asked in disbelief.

"A bittersweet ending. Perfect for the mood." Kate replied and snuggled against the back of the couch, a challenging look on her face. Billy smiled softly.

"Well, I'm happy for you both." He mumbled sincerely, and Kate wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Tommy patted his back.

"And we're sorry about what you know." The white haired young man said. "We didn't want to make you get so anxious."

"It's okay. I should have known. I should have been more cautious. But you know me. Always desperate." Billy joked ironically, before taking a sip of his wine. His brother was about to reply but Kate shook her head. So Tommy kept silent.

"Anyway, this is a pity party. The only things allowed are to cry while watching this movie, and getting drunk." The young woman said, and the three of them settled comfortably as they watched the ship leave England for the new world.

Billy and Tommy fell asleep a few minutes before the end of the movie and Kate double checked they were both out before getting up, her phone in hand. She dialed a number and went to the kitchen, checking every few seconds that none of her favorite twins were waking up. Her interlocutor picked up after four rings.

"Hi Eli, it's Kate. Yes I'm fine. Listen, I was wondering if you could do something for me..."

***

Teddy opened his door, his eyes still full of sleep. He took a few seconds to remember who the young woman standing in front of him was. The young man stood silent for a second and rubbed his eyes. She was dressed in a way that made him feel uncomfortable in his torn pajama bottoms and a faded Kiss t-shirt. But she did not seem to mind.

"Hum. Hi?" He greeted her, not sure if he should invite her in or not. "Can I help you?" He asked while she studied him with her grey blue eyes.

"I just wanted to have a little chat with you, if you don't mind." Kate replied, a smile blossoming on her face. Teddy stepped aside and waited for her to come in.

"Sure, yeah." He said, already feeling nervous. Kate was Billy's publisher. Maybe it meant something was wrong. Maybe he was not allowed to sign books outside of conventions. If that was it, Teddy was in big trouble. "Do you want some coffee?" He asked, checking the hour. It was still early in the morning. But Kate shook her head gently so he only poured one cup. "Is there a problem?" He asked after a few minutes of silence.

"No. I mean, I hope not. I just have to ask. Are you trying to seduce Billy in order to get some free samples of his next book? Or do you genuinely like him?" The young woman straightforwardly asked, crossing her arms. Teddy choked on his coffee and turned bright red. After a heavy fit of coughing he looked at her, his blue eyes full of tears.

"WHat? No! I would never... God, does he think... I don't! I mean I do!" He stopped dead under her confused stare and cleared his throat. "I'm not trying to seduce him to get samples. But I do like him. I know it looks shady, but after yesterday when we grabbed a coffee... I'm sorry, but you came all the way to Brooklyn to ask me this?" He suddenly realized. "Why? How did you get my address?"

The young man felt defensive all of the sudden. It was none of Kate's business. Actually, he found it very rude of her to come to his place to talk about that. They barely knew each other. Kate looked straight into his eyes.

"Eli gave it to me. Forgive me, but I just wanted to make sure. I'm Billy's publisher, but I'm also his best friend. I'd hate to see him get hurt." She stated.

"Get hurt? He only signed my books!" Teddy replied in disbelief making Kate roll her eyes.

"Oh come on! There's been something between you two the second you met! I can tell, I was there. So please, ask him out. You'll do yourselves a favor. I can assure you that he likes you. You like him too. Go for it. But do not talk about his b..."

"Do not talk about his books this time. I know." Teddy cut her and they both went silent. After a few seconds of looking at each other completely taken aback, they started laughing. "God did this really just happen?" The fireman asked, wiping the tears from his eyes. Kate snorted and grinned.

"I guess so." She replied, causing them to burst in laughter again. "Oh God, I'm sorry. But I couldn't stand seeing him moping like that anymore." The young man rubbed the back of his neck while smiling shyly. Kate sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry I barged in like that. But I had to do something to make the situation evolve."

"It's okay I guess. I wasn't sure..."

"But now you are. So go for it."

She left a few minutes after that, while Teddy was sitting, completely puzzled by his kitchen isle. He drank the last of his coffee and put the cup down. This girl really was something he thought with affection as he grabbed his phone and started typing.

***

Billy woke up around noon, for a moment forgetting where he was until he recognized the dark blue pillows his head was resting on. At one point during the night, Kate or Tommy ad thrown a blanket over him, and a note was sitting on the coffee table telling him that breakfast was ready in the kitchen if he wanted some. He got up and went to pour himself some coffee when he heard his phone ping in the living room. He ignored it and sat, letting the hot beverage slide from his mouth to is stomach.

When he was sufficiently alert, Billy went back to the living room and started checking his messages, only to see he had an email from Teddy. Everything turned cold suddenly, and he felt an uneasy feeling settle in the pit of is stomach. Dreading what he was going to read, he opened the mail.

  
Teddy Altman   
To me   
Today

subject: Of nerdiness and coffee

  
I think nerd looks good on you too. And I'd like to know this nerd better. Let's forget the writer and the fan. Let's just be nerds geeking with each other. Meet me for coffee later this afternoon?   
I hope you'll say yes.

Teddy-

It took a little while for Billy to wrap his head around what he had just read. With a huge grin, he typed his reply and put his phone down.

Of course he would say yes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, a big thank you for all of you who read, leave kudos and comments on my fic, you're amazing <3\. I hope you'll like this chapter as well =)
> 
> Another big thank you to Laura my beta, she did an amazing job as always. I seriously adore this girl <3\. Also, a big thank you to Lisa, my best friend, because she manages to give me ideas even when I'm not inspired
> 
> You can find me on tumblr under the same username (yes, I still don't know how to put a link here. Shame *ding ding* :p)

Billy's hands were going more and more clammy by the second. If the waiter kept staring at him with the pitying look he was sporting ever since the writer had told him he was waiting for someone (forty five minutes ago) he was going to hurl over the formica table. So, maybe Teddy was late. Super late actually, the young man thought, checking his watch for what felt like the millionth time. And the waiter was still staring.

There it was, the shame, the uneasy feeling of being stared at and the blush creeping up his cheeks, nose and ears. It made Billy want to scream 'he's just late!' but it would probably make him look foolish, and delusional. He was shoving his phone in his pocket and starting to put his long red scarf around his neck when the door of the café opened with the soft ring of a bell. Teddy stepped in, his cheeks red from the cold, panting as if he had been running. He was wearing the same brown leather jacket as the other day, with plush on the collar, khaki cargo pants with the ankles shoved inside unlaced combat boots and his navy blue beanie that brought out the chalcedony hue of his irises. When the fireman spotted Billy, he muttered what seemed like a 'oh thank goodness' and instantly made his way to the writer's booth under the incredulous eyes of the waiter. Still panting heavily, he tried to explain himself.

"I'm sorry, I helped my neighbor with her groceries and then she insisted to show me the pictures of her grandchildren. God, am I really this late? I ran all the way here as soon as I got out of the subway." He babbled as he looked at his phone screen, eyes going wide when he saw what time it was. He then froze for a second. "You're wearing glasses." He stated, looking completely taken aback and making Billy's eyebrows shoot up on his forehead. Teddy's babbling had started to make a warm and fuzzy feeling spread in his chest, but the young man's comment on the fact he was wearing glasses and the way he looked, completely at a loss about it made a wide amused smile spread on the writer's lips. He was struggling hard to not start laughing.

"Well, you said you wanted to know this nerd better. So I had to put my glasses on." Billy joked, his eyes drifting away from Teddy to the waiter who could not believe his eyes, it seemed. It made Billy want to stick out his tongue out to him, or maybe raise his middle finger, but he simply focused back on the other young man. "You helped your neighbor and then ran to meet me. Are you even real? Most guys would not even bother showing up after such a delay."

"Most guys would be angry after such a delay. I'm sorry. You must have thought I stood you up." Teddy replied with a grimace, fidgeting with his hands. Billy shrugged, pinching his lips and wrinkling his nose.

"I'm used to it." He confessed a bit shyly, his face going bright red when he saw the face the fireman was making. "What? I'm not very lucky when it comes to dating. Guess I'm too boring. Maybe not hot enough, I don't know." The young man tried to joke, uncomfortable. The last thing he wanted was Teddy pitying him.

_Laying your insecurities down and the guy has barely sat down in front of you. Way to go, Kaplan._ Luckily, he was interrupted by the waiter who came to take their order. He still seemed completely confused, eyes going from Billy to Teddy, and the fireman frowned slightly.

"Hey, I don't really want coffee actually. Wanna go somewhere else?" He asked, turning his face towards the writer, who looked at him with wide eyes. "Come on Billy." He encouraged softly, getting up. Billy nodded mechanically and followed the fireman as he made his way towards the exit, leaving the waiter completely dumfounded. Once outside, the writer buttoned his woolen coat. What the hell was that? He thought as he followed Teddy, the cold making his eyes water as he picked up the pace to not lose the blonde young man. They stayed silent for a few minutes, and Billy was feeling his heart sink deeper by the second. So, yeah. Their date was not starting very well. And suddenly, Teddy stopped. A smirk blossomed on his face and he looked at the other young man. "Hey, do you want some ice cream?" He asked, and every bad thoughts Billy was having deflated to turn into incredulousness.

"We're in November, Teddy. It's freezing out there." He pointed out as diplomatically as he could. But the smile Teddy flashed him made him feel warm all over.

"Come on, mister writer. Where's your sense of adventure?" The fireman teased him, before nodding his head towards an ice cream parlor. With a little chuckle, Billy followed Teddy's lead. They entered, the woman behind the counter leaping up to her feet, flashing a smile as bright as the huge earrings she was wearing.

"Hello! What can I get you?" She asked with a wide smile. Judging by the state of the ice cream tanks in the display cabinet, they were probably the first clients for days. "For each scoop bought, the second is free." She informed them gently. Teddy flashed her a very charming smile, full of dimples.

"Well, I'll take two scoops then. Strawberry please." He said, his smile going bigger, almost childish. The lady nodded and turned her head towards Billy, who was staring at the fireman, a bit dazzled. She made a little face.

"And for you?" She asked in a soft tone, snapping Billy back to reality.

"Hm, what? Oh, hm... I'll take salted butter caramel and cookie dough." He sputtered, blushing bright red at having been caught staring.

"Excellent choice." Teddy commented mischievously, and the writer looked down shyly. They paid for their order and went out, Teddy letting out small groan of delight as he started licking his ice cream. Billy took a tentative taste, shivering as soon as his tongue came in contact with the scoop of caramel. He saw Teddy stifle a laugh and cocked an eyebrow.

"What?" He asked as another chill ran down his spine. He was licking his lips in a poor attempt at warming them up.

"You look like you just jumped in the river." The blonde young man said, his eyes glistening with mischief.

"Because it's cold and I'm eating ice cream." The writer justified, taking another bite. "This is like the worst idea ever." He giggled. He soon was joined by Teddy who regained composure, his smile going nostalgic for a moment.

"We used to do that with my Mom. Going out during winter and eating ice creams before heading to Central Park where we stayed for hours, talking about one subject or another." He told Billy, his blue eyes going sad. "She died in a fire." He added, before the other young man could ask. "And I decided to become a fireman. Just like my Dad."

Billy was hesitating between smiling or pulling the other young man into a hug. He stood there, not knowing what to do after Teddy's confession. He felt bad for saying eating ice cream while it was so cold was the worst idea ever.

"I'm sorry." The writer whispered. He was fucking up big time. He looked around, trying to find something to cheer Teddy up, and not leave him thinking he was an absolute asshole.

"Oh, no. Don't worry. I mean, yes, it's awful, but after her death, I met my father, although briefly, and my grandparents. See, my Mom's parents passed away before I was born, so my father's took me in. It was weird at first, seeing I didn't know them and all, but they were delighted. Little did they know that they had other grandchildren scattered across the state. My father was a bit of a ladies man. He was cool, but not really the father type." The fireman laughed. "I met my brother and my sister a few years ago, when my father passed away." He finished, a warm smile on his lips.

"Just like Tommy and I." Billy said, still feeling awful. "It must have been hard losing your parents." He mumbled, but Teddy shook his head.

"I still have my grandparents, and Phyla and Genis, that's my siblings." He specified. "So I'm not lonely. But enough of me. You said you met Tommy?" The blonde young man asked curiously, and the other nodded.

"Yep. I was adopted. Well, Tommy was adopted first, and his parents were horrible. One day, my mother calls me and say I should come to her cabinet. She's a psychologist, you see, and this day, Tommy ended up being her patient. He had run away from home after getting in a fight with his father. He had bleached his hair for the first time, maybe as a way to rebel, I don't know, but his father beat the crap out of him for that. He looked bad. He pressed charge, and got emancipated as soon as he was sixteen. So, I was fifteen, I entered the office and found my doppleganger sitting in front of my mother. I knew I was adopted, but Tommy didn't. I can still hear him cry, happy to find out the Shepherds were not his actual parents. His face was still swollen and bruising and here he was, crying tears of relief. After that, he was put in foster care for a year, but we decided we wanted to know each other, so my mother gained the right to still be his psychologist. I thought he was going to hate me, but he... Well. I think he needed a family, so he never mentionned my sexuality, and never ressented me for having been luckier when I was adopted. And after a year of only seeing each other during the weekends, he got emancipated and started attending the same school as I did. He made sure the bullies were staying away from me, and I helped him catch up on the curiculum. We really became close, and he's been part of the family ever since. Now, when my mother mentions her children, she says she has four boys. You should have seen Tommy's face when my parents proposed to adopt him. He refused, but he's been sitting by our table during each family gathering since then."

"And you never fought? I mean, it must be quite a shock to find out you have a twin, you could have had a rocky realtionship, or not have a relationship at all." Teddy said, and Billy shook his head.

"Tommy has always been a little shit. But he's more of a smartass than mean. Sure, at first it's been hard to wrap our heads around it, and we had to learn to know each other. But as soon as he got away from his parents, he started getting better. When I met him, he was skinnier than I was, which is a lot to say, believe me. He had endured so many bad treatments, he could not bear seeing someone suffer. So he stood up for me, and for everyone who was bullied in school. It got him in trouble all the time." The writer remembered with a fond laugh. "We've been brothers ever since. That's a weird thing to say. But he needed it, someone to care for him. And... Well, I took that place."

"You love him very much." Teddy said softly, and Billy nodded.

"Yes. I do." The dark haired young man simply replied. "Even if I want to kill him sometimes." He confessed.

"Well, he's your brother." The fireman pointed out. "I say it's a pretty normal reaction. I feel the same thing for Genis. This guy could start another World War by himself." He joked, which made Billy laugh.

"Oh, pray that Tommy never meets him." And the two of them laughed.

"Tell me more about your family. Like I said, I want to know you better." Teddy asked, and Billy blushed slightly. "If it's okay to ask of course." The blonde young man added, looking down, hoping he did not sound like a stalker again.

"It's okay, don't worry." The writer reassured him. "Well, my mother is a psychologist, like I said. My father is a cardiologist, and I got my imagination and taste for adventure stories from him. He loves Norse myths and used to tell them to me before I went to bed. It was because of this that I decided to study litterature and became a writer."

"And you got your sense of character psychology thanks to your mother." The other suddenly understood. He then shut his mouth.

_Do not talk about his books!_ He remembered and took a huge bite of his ice cream in order to keep his mouth shut, instantly regretting what he had just done when a harsh wave of pain shot from his sinuses to his forehead.

"Ah, God!" He groaned, slapping his forehead, mouth still full of ice cream. Billy's eyes went wide with concern and he put a hand on Teddy's upper arm, the one that was currently flexed, as the fireman held his brow, face scrunched. With an unintentional twitch of his hand, the writer squeezed, and _oh boy. His arms are huge._ The young man retrieved his hand as if he got burned and blushed brightly. Teddy opened his eyes and smiled painfully. "Brainfreeze." He groaned awkwardly. Billy nodded, sympathetic, and still very red. "Sorry I cut you off. Please go on." Teddy told him. The writer cleared his throat and gave him a tight lipped smile, still feeling Teddy's arm in his hand, which he shoved in his pocket, curling it into a tight fist, trying to erase the firmness he had felt from his mind.

"Hum... I've got two younger brothers. They were not adopted. Josh is five years younger than me, and Ben seven. My parents turned to adoption when it came to light that my mother had some uterine problem. So they got me. And then, five years after, a little miracle happened. And two years after, another. And after that, Tommy. My parents wanted a big family, you see, and as Mom always say: 'this is not the way I imagined it, but we got what we wished for.' I guess the universe is full of surprises." The young man finished with a soft smile, relaxing as he talked. Teddy was smiling, listening closely.

"Wow. You've got a colorful life." He stated, taking a bite of his ice cream-smaller this time.

"My life is a clusterfuck." Billy corrected before starting to laugh loudly, as Teddy choked on his mouthful of cream, laughing just as much. "But, yeah. I don't get bored."

"Did you get to meet your birth parents?" The blonde young man asked, and knew he had crossed the line when the other's expression turned a bit sour. The writer answered before he got the chance to take it back.

"No. I know who they are, but I'm not allowed to talk about it. Tommy and I had to sign a secrecy contract. So basically, we met their lawyers who threatened to sue us if we insisted on trying to meet them. The only thing we did was send a letter."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"It's okay." Billy whispered, and went back to eating his ice cream, shivering more violently with each bite, keeping silent. But it was far from okay. It was not Teddy's fault, not at all. He did not blame him for asking, but after all these years, he still suffered from the rejection he had faced when his birth mother had refused to meet him and Tommy. From what they had gathered, their birth father did not even know they existed, and there was no way they could contact him. So they had thrown the sponge, deciding they were better off them anyway, even if they got hurt. "I'm sorry. It's a bit of a sensitive subject." He mumbled. "I love my parents. I really do. And Tommy does too, he found solace with us, and no matter his last name, he's a Kaplan. But we just wanted to know where we came from."

"I'm sorry, really. We don't have to talk about it." Teddy insisted, raising his hand in order to put it on Billy's shoulder, but before he could do it, he changed his mind and shoved it in his pocket. "What's your favorite movie?" He asked out of the blue, smiling softly when the dark haired young man looked at him with confusion. It took a little while for Billy to understand Teddy was trying to distract him from his sad thoughts, and this simple attempt made a wave of affection surge through him.

"The Sound of Music." He replied. "Don't laugh."

"Oh, I won't. How would you react if I told you I played Rolfe in my High School production of the musical?" Teddy confessed, and chuckled when Billy gave him a once over.

"You don't strike me as a theater kid. I would have sworn you were a jock. So you can sing?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Well, I had a crush on one of the tech guys." The fireman admitted, blushing. "But you guessed right. I was a jock. I played basket ball, but somehow, it doesn't stop me from being able to carry a tune."

"Okay, Troy Bolton. I get it." Billy joked.

"It was not my finest moment, I know." Teddy grimaced. "Besides, I hated it. Being put on the spot, and having to kiss the horrible Tara McLear. She was such a bitch, you have no idea. But I had a crush, and it makes you do foolish things when you're sixteen. Like impersonating a nazi. God. I'm a horrible person." Teddy muttered with disgust.

"Hey, it's a just a role. It doesn't make you a nazi." Billy pointed out. "You really hated it, don't you?" He chuckled.

"You have no idea."

"Well, my theater experience stopped after the fifth grade." Billy confessed. "I got stage fright, and could not deliver my lines. Next thing I know, I'm flat on my back, unaware of how I ended like that."

"Which makes you Gabriella Montez?" Teddy teased, which got him a small punch in the arm.

"Okay, I know I started it, but no more High Scool Musical jokes." The writer said with a chuckle. "And besides, Tommy got the singing and dancing gene. I'm just quiet and awkward." He stated, shrugging.

"I think it's cute." Teddy replied, before turning bright red, realizing what he had just said. Billy faked to ignore it, but he could feel his cheeks and ears were just as red as Teddy's face, so he resumed eating his ice cream, finishing it rapidly. "Hum... I mean... Did you like your ice cream?" The fireman finished.

_Really? Good one, Ted._

"It was good." Billy replied in a strangely strained voice. "What about yours?" He asked back, and Teddy looked down at his own, which was halfway finished.

"Yeah." He finished it as well and they fell silent. They kept on walking until their steps led them to Central Park. A soft smile spread on Teddy's face at all the memories he had of his mother and the time they shared there. "I think it's my favorite place in New York." He let out. "I really can't explain why. I've always loved coming here."

"Wanna sit for a while?" Billy proposed, but Teddy shook his head. "Nah, I'd rather walk, unless you prefer sitting?" He asked gently, smiling to the writer.

"I'm fine with walking." The dark haired young man replied.

"We should come back on a snowy day." Teddy thought out loud. "What do you say?"

"Yes." Billy said, and they both smiled to each other.

***

"I had a very good time. Thank you." Billy said on the steps that led to the main entrance of his building. True, the date had not gone the way he had expected, but it came out better. He hoped Teddy felt the same. The blonde young man was smiling up at him, his eyes shining.

"Me too. I'm sorry I was late, and that I ruined the mood." Teddy apologized, biting his bottom lip. This simple little thing made Billy want to pull him close and kiss him but he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"You didn't. I really enjoyed it. We should do it again." He said, and melted a little when he saw a wide smile spread on the fireman's face. "I should get back to my writing. Call me?" He said in a quiet voice.

"Hm, yeah. I would call, but I don't have your number." The other pointed out. Billy slapped his forehead.

"Shit, I forgot. Here, give me your phone." He said, climbing down the stairs as Teddy handed him the phone. The writer saved his number in the device and gave it back, their hands brushing as the fireman took it back. They stayed like that with their hands joined for a few seconds, looking at each other. "Hm... See you around." Billy whispered, and before he could stop himself, he rose on his toes, and placed a soft kiss on Teddy's cheek. He then retreated to his building and closed the door behind him, red as a tomato. He jumped when he heard a loud knock on the door and turned around before opening it. Teddy was behind it, blushing. He leaned down and with a little hesitation, he kissed Billy, just a quick little kiss, his lips soft and warm, and then he pulled back, redder than ever.

"See you around." He mumbled, repeating Billy's words and climbing down the stairs hastily, leaving Billy star struck in his entryway.

When the writer finally went back to his apartment, he entered without even noticing his door was unlocked. He hung his coat and scarf on the hook next to the door. His dopey smile faltered when he saw Kate and Tommy looking at him suspiciously.

"That was a smile, right?" Kate fake whispered to her boyfriend.

"It was. I get it that your date went well?" Tommy asked carefully, probably dreading Billy would lash out at him again. But it did not happen.

"He kissed me." The writer said, and the dopey smile reappeared as he thought of Teddy's soft lips against his own. And he suddenly grimaced when Kate and Tommy started cheering and whooping.

"You owe me ten bucks, pay up!" Tommy sing-songed, extending his hand towards his girlfriend, who shook her head, before handing the money to the white haired young man. Billy's features collapsed and he looked them.

"You placed a bet?" He asked in disbelief. Then he started laughing. "God, you really are a stereotype." But before he could go on, Kate pulled him by the hand and made him sit down on his couch.

"How was it? I want every detail. Is he a good kisser? What did you do?" The young woman inquired excitedly.

"Chill, Kate. Let him breathe." Tommy laughed, as Billy rolled his eyes playfully.

"We got ice creams and went for a walk. We talked. And that's about it." The dark haired young man said, but Kate pouted.

"Every detail Billy! Come on, I need it!" She insisted, but Tommy cut her off.

"Let him have his privacy."

"Oh, you mean, like when you barge in in here all the time?" The writer pointed out. "And I can't give more details, Kate. It was just a quick kiss."

"Lame." Kate grumbled. "You could have tried to put a little bit of tongue there." She pointed out, making both Billy and Tommy grimace.

"Gross!" They said at the same time, before sharing a look. They both smiled and Kate huffed.

"What? You can't blame me for being disappointed! Just a little kiss is not a good kiss." The young woman pointed out.

"Well it was good enough for me." Billy declared firmly, before going to his kitchen. "You guys want to stay over for dinner? I can make something if you'd like."

"Or we could go out? I don't know why, but I've been craving for burgers all day long." Kate called as Billy went to the kitchen. "I mean, if it's alright with you of course."

"I wanted to write tonight. I'm gonna pass." Billy replied. "Maybe tomorrow, if you behave." He teased his best friend gently. Kate pouted but did not reply.

"I can make you burgers." Tommy proposed. "Your place, or mine?"

"Yours." Kate decided, and kissed Tommy.

"Ugh. You're gonna make me barf." Billy joked as he came back from the kitchen with a steaming cup of coffee. The two others started laughing, before being joined by the writer, who, for the first time in forever, was feeling pretty good.

***

  
**Me:** So... About what I did when I left... I hope you're not mad?   
**Billy:** Is it Teddy? I'm sorry, I didn't save your number when you left.   
**Me:** Oh, right! Yeah, it's me :)   
**Billy:** Well, in this case, no. I'm not mad. Actually I'm relieved you did it, I don't know If I'd have had the nerves. But just so you know, I wanted it. So yeah...   
**Me:** We're good then? I mean, you're not mad?   
**Billy:** Not at all. We're good.   
**Me:** Okay... Sorry...   
**Billy:** There's nothing to be sorry for. Just...   
**Me:** Yeah?   
**Billy:** Could you try not to run next time? Because I'd like to kiss you back.

Teddy would obviously deny if anyone said he had squealed after that text. Of course, after having a ridiculous meltdown on his couch, he had shot another text, and had wished goodnight to Billy. The young man was about to go to bed when he heard someone knock at the door. He stopped halfway in the staircase and frowned. It was a bit late, and he had to go to work in the morning, so he was not really in the mood for visitors. Slipping his black tank top back on, he made his way towards the door, opening it and freezing on the spot when he saw Greg, leaning on the doorframe, eyes shining, cheeks red, and a dopey smile on his face.

"Heeeeey Teddy Bear... I was... I was having fun in your neighborhood when the girl ditched me. So I thought, why not pay my buddy a visit?"

The brown haired young man reeked of alcohol and Teddy fought the urge to take a step back. Instead, his face went blank and he squared his shoulders, straightening his spine as much as he could.

"Well, too bad for you. I was about to go to bed." The fireman stated. "You should go back home."

"But it's far... Let me crash here? Please?" Greg argued with a big grin, he attempted to touch Teddy's arm but the young man batted his hand away.

"You're drunk. Go back to your place." Teddy stood his ground, clenching his jaw, and Greg let out a small chuckle.

"Like it has stopped you before. Come on, let me in, we can have some fun." And that simple sentence made Teddy's stomach lurch unpleasantly. He felt himself grow pale as fury and disgust rose inside him.

"No. Absolutely not. I thought I was making myself clear last time. I want you out of my life. You've been treating me like shit for too long, and you're doing it again. We're not going to have 'fun' as you call it. Not today, not ever. So now you go away, or I'll call the police." The fireman growled, but that only made Greg laugh a bit more.

"Oh, playing hard to get I see." The brown haired young man commented, trying to step inside Teddy's apartment, but Teddy shoved him out. "Hey! What're you doing?" He protested angrily.

"We're done! Get out!" Teddy shouted, grabbing his phone and starting to dial. "I'm calling the police." He threatened again, but Greg suddenly straightened, is hands turning to fists.

"Let me in." He growled, but the fireman shook his head.

"In your dreams, asshole. I'm not one of your cheap booty calls, and honestly? I pity these girls, they're as dumb as I am for letting you in their life. I sincerely hope they'll open their eyes."

He had not realized they were making that much noise. His two neighbors had open their doors, and if Ms Cohen seemed shaken, his other neighbor had stepped out of his aprtment, bat and phone in hand.

"Is this guy bothering you, son?" The burly man asked Teddy, raising his bat. Greg turned his face to the man and his eyes went a bit wide when he saw the bald, forty something brickhouse of a man facing him. "Must I call the police?"

"It's okay, Frank. Greg was leaving." Teddy said firmly, much to the other's displeasure.

"You're gonna regret this." The drunk young man slurred. "Fuck you. All of you!" He shouted before heading back to the staircase. Once he was out of sight, Frank lowered the bat, and took a step towards Teddy.

"Are you sure you don't want me to call the police?" He asked, patting the young man's shoulder. But the fireman shook his head.

"No, Im okay. I'm so sorry for the disturbance. I hope I didn't wake you up Ms Cohen." He apologized, but the elderly woman shrugged.

"This boy lacks manners Theodore. I hope he is not one of your friends." Ms Cohen declared.

"He's not. Don't worry, he won't come back." Teddy assured, feeling a bit ashamed. "I'm sorry." Frank clapped his back gently and retreated to his apartment.

"Don't hesitate to knock if you need anything." The older man told him before closing his door. Ms Cohen just gave the fireman a sharp nod and closed her door. Teddy locked his door, not feeling sleepy anymore. His throat felt narrow, his body cold, and he was not feeling safe. With a trembling hand he dialed a number and put the phone to his ear. The young man waited anxiously for his interlocutor to pick up, pulse rising.

"Hello?"

And that was enough to make tears well up in Teddy's eyes before spilling past his eyelids. He sniffed, unable to talk, his throat way too thick for that.

"Teddy? Are you okay?" The voice asked, and the young man shook his head.

"No." He croaked. "Phyla, come over, please?" He demanded, feeling pathetic and vulnerable. He heard several muffled noises through the speaker, as if Phyla was shoving clothes in a bag.

"I'm on my way. I'll be here in an hour or so. It's gonna be okay sweetie."

"Okay." Teddy replied, wiping his eyes, before he hung up, promising not to move from his apartment, and to wait for his sister to arrive.

***

"You know, the first time you mentioned this guy, I thought he was just a repressed homosexual trying to get his rocks off. But he's harassing you, Sweetie. You know you can press charge for that, right?" Phyla argued as she walked Teddy to the station. She had insisted to do so, and if that made Teddy feel a bit ridiculous, it also made him feel safe.

"Yeah, I wonder what the cops will write down. I should have stopped sleeping with him." Teddy grumbled, hauling his gym bag higher on his shoulder.

"You shouldn't have started." His sister corrected. "I know you were in love with him, but you need to get rid of him for good. And the only way to do that is by pressing charge. Who says he won't come back? I mean, if it was my jurisdiction..."

"Yeah, but it's not. We're not in the New Jersey, so there's nothing you can do." The fireman pointed out, and his sister groaned. "But thank you for staying with me."

"Well, I'm not letting you alone after that. Look at you, you barely slept, and you look like a zombie." She cocked her head, her hands shoved deep in the pockets of her black trench coat. She had the same chalcedony eyes as him, but if Teddy's hair were golden, like his mother's, hers were platinum, almost white, a trait she shared with Genis. "I called my chief this morning. He allowed me to take a week off. Is that good with you?" She asked as they entered the fire station. Teddy smiled, grateful.

"Yes. Thank you very much." The knots in his stomach finally starting to untwist.

"Okay." Phyla nodded, before placing a hand on the young man's cheek. It was cold, and it made Teddy shiver, but he welcomed the touch with affection. "Just call me when your shift is over. I'll come pick you up, and then we'll go out. Would you like to eat Italian tonight?" She asked and the fireman nodded. "Okay. See you tonight." She gave him a smile, and it made Teddy feel warm. Phyla did not smile often. Turning around, the young woman exited the station, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

When Teddy entered the locker room, he was greeted by America, Eli and Nate that were all changing. America was tying her curly hair in a tight ponytail while Eli was slipping his FDNY shirt over his muscled torso. Nate was standing in his underwear, texting absentmindedly.

"You look like shit." America whispered, making Teddy jump slightly as he was removing his shirt. He smiled weakly, and removed his sweatpants to put the ones from his uniform on.

"Well, he came back last night and made a scene." He mouthed, feeling the need to talk, and so far, he had only managed to do that with America. "He ruined my day, and I barely slept."

"He? Your asshole friend?" She asked, leaning in sideways against the locker and the young man nodded. "Want me to punch is teeth out?" the young woman demanded, checking her nails, then fixing her light brown eyes on Teddy.

"If I say yes, will we be in trouble?" He asked, half serious, and America grinned. He smiled back, shyly, and she winked. Deciding to change subjects, Teddy slipped his FDNY shirt on before pulling his suspenders on his shoulders. "I went on a date with Billy." He said, and he froze when everyone turned their faces towards him.

"So?" Eli asked, squinting. Nate, on the other hand, started whooping, much to his colleagues annoyance.

"It was great." Teddy declared, then blushing, his voice barely a whisper, he added: "I kissed him."

"Good." America commented, patting his shoulder. They did not seem to be in the mood for teasing, and they did not ask him to tell them how the date had gone more specifically. The young man felt very grateful for that.

"Hey, my sister is in town. Maybe we could go out sometimes this week. I'd like you to meet her." The blonde young man declared, suddenly needing to socialize.

"Wow. You're welcoming us in your life? Are you feverish or something?" Nate teased him, and Teddy shook his head, knowing perfectly well he had always been secretive, but after Greg, it ad been a bit hard to trust people. But so far, his colleagues turned friends had only shown support and caring. So he had decided to open up to them a bit more.

"She's a cop right?" Eli mumbled. "I think I heard the Captain talk about it."

"Yes." Teddy confirmed, and Nate grinned.

"I love women in uniforms." He commented, making America scoff.

"Well, good luck with that. My sister likes girls." The blonde young man retorted before closing his locker, which made the younger man close his mouth. "We have work to do guys. Shall we?" He asked, exiting the locker room, America on his heels, giggling uncontrollably, and Eli, who patted Nate's back with a sorry expression on his face before following them.

The firefighters spent most of their morning playing cards in the "living room", a few of their colleagues joining them for a quick chat, or a game, and the Captain Rogers came to chill with them after he finished his paperwork. He seemed exhausted, and every time he moved, a wince came to paint his features.

"Are you okay, Captain?" America asked after the man let out a rather loud groan while he lifted the coffee pot. Steve smiled and shook his head.

"Nothing to worry about. I've started working out again, so I'm sore all over." The older man explained. "The doctors finally gave me the permission to go back on the field. So next time I'll be with you during the intervention instead of securing the civilians. It's gonna be good to finally get some action." He sat at their table, patting Eli's shoulder in a paternal gesture.

"Did you get any news about what happened last time?" Nate asked quietly, and Steve clenched his jaw.

"As a matter of fact, I did. We'll have to stand our ground guys. The Chief Fury is not a hundred per cent sure that we're operational. So we're going to have Logan's and Scott's pricks behind our butts all the time. It's a matter of security, and I quote." The Captain sneered.

"Whatever happens, Bobby is mine if it ever gets ugly." Nate declared, cracking his fingers menacingly.

"There will be no fighting under my watch, Nathaniel." Steve warned. "Do that and I'll make sure you'll be stuck on truck washing duty for the next six months. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Captain Rogers." Nate replied, leaning back in his chair, displeased.

"Besides, Bobby will crush your head if you fight." Eli reasoned, which added to Nate's irritation. But as he was about to retort, a loud drill echoed throughout the station. Steve grabbed his beeper and frowned.

"Road accident in Soho. Why are we notified? It's not our jurisdiction..." He wondered out loud. "Whatever. You six, suit up." He commanded to Teddy, America, Eli, Nate and the two other firefighters that were chilling on the couch. "We'll see if we can be of any help."

***

Billy hated going grocery shopping. Especially since his brother's billboards were all over the neighborhood now. He had tried to change his habits, but it was even worse elsewhere. But every time he entered the shop, which was located just a few streets away from his apartment, he could almost feel Tommy's green eyes bearing down on him. So yeah, he tended to wear hoodies more often than usual every time he spent more than an hour in this particular part of the city. He pulled the hood up when he saw a woman glance at him and slumped on himself.

"Hey, are you..." He did not let her finish.

"No, it's my twin brother." He replied, before retreating to the cash register, cheeks red. Maybe luck was on his side this time. There was no waiting line. He quickly dropped his purchase on the counter and fished his credit card from his pocket, keeping his head down. When the cashier looked at him, her eyes went round and she whipped her head towards the billboard. He let out a pained noise, and the cashier looked back at him. "It's my twin brother." He repeated dryly, and she blushed bright red. The young man payed his purchase, and fled the store, his arms full of grocery bags. He had his phone tucked between his shoulder and ear as soon as he was far enough. Tommy picked up after one ring.

"Why is your face everywhere?" He ranted, not even bothering to greet his twin brother.

"What? Why? People still think you're me?" Tommy asked in disbelief.

"Two of them today! In my grocery store!" Billy grumbled. "Can't you make an announcement or something? Like 'I have a twin brother, so if you see me with dark hair, it's probably not me'? I hate being mistaken for you Tommy. It's getting harder than ever, they put billboards in the subway, and now in my neighborhood as well."

"They did? But they assured me it was only going to be Time Square!" The other groaned. "Shit. I'll have to speak with David. I didn't understand why he kept calling me last night. He also asked me about you."

"Well, I'm still not interested. Besides, there's Teddy now." Billy pointed out, balancing his bag over his hip so he could hold his phone with his hand. His neck was starting to cramp up.

"Speaking of Teddy, I saw him and his buddies today. I had a shooting in Soho earlier, and there was a car accident. Nobody was hurt." He quickly added when Billy gasped. "I'm fine, don't worry. But there were a lot of firefighters for practically nothing. I don't know what's wrong these days, but since the station blew up, the fire department seems to have problem handling accidents."

"What?" The writer frowned.

"Yeah. What are you doing today? The shooting was postponed, and Kate is working all day. Cassie and I are going to grab a coffee, wanna join us?"

"No, I'm in the middle of a chapter and I want to finish it today. But come over later if you want." Billy proposed. He heard his phone beep, signaling a text.

"I'll ask Cassie. Okay, I gotta go back, love you." Tommy said, before hanging up, leaving his twin star struck, looking at is phone.

"Love you? Were did that come from?" He mumbled, making a face. Then he saw the text notification, which came from Teddy. He felt a smile blossom on his lips and opened it.

**Teddy:** So apparently, there's a major shit going on with the notifications we get in the fire stations. All the stations close enough are notified each time an accident happens. They put this system on when ours blew up, and they still haven't fixed this. They apparently forgot that we're operational now. So, everyone is blaming us because we're tripping over each other every time something happens now.

Billy's phone beeped again, and another text appeared on his screen.

**Teddy:** Sorry, I shouldn't be venting to you. I just needed to talk.

The writer started typing as soon as he finished reading.

  
**Me:** Hey, not it's okay, don't worry. I rant all the time, so I won't judge. I'm sorry though, is there anything I can do? Like punch someone, or send a letter expressing my displeasure on how your station is treated? :)   
**Teddy:** You make me smile, that's enough for me :)   
**Me:** Anytime   
**Teddy:** By the way, wanna go out this week? The guys and I are going to hang out, feel free to come. Ask your brother and Kate if they want to come too. And we can also go out just the two of us, I mean, if you'd like.   
**Me:** I'll ask Kate and Tommy. But I guess I can come as long as it doesn't bother the others. And yes, I very much would like to go out with you.   
**Teddy:** Sweet, I'll keep you updated. See you soon, Billy.   
**Me:** See you soon :)

Dropping his phone in the grocery bag, Billy walked back to his apartment, making sure to not look at anybody, only relaxing once his door was closed. The young man was putting his groceries in his cupboards and fridge when his phone started ringing. With a groan, he fished it from the bag and picked up.

"Hi Kate, I was about to go write the end of the chapter if that's why you're calling." He announced, closing the fridge door.

"Hi. No that's not why I was calling. I've got good news for you." His best friend declared, failing to hide her excitement. "You should sit." She instructed, almost singing, and the writer obeyed, frowning with suspicion.

"Kate, what is it?" He asked, leaning on his elbows over his kitchen table, unable to bear the suspense. Finally, Kate let out a loud excited squeal.

"You're at the top of the list of this month best-sellers!" She shouted in her phone, destroying the young man's ear-drum, but he frankly did not care. He leaped to his feet, his hand finding his forehead as a dizzy feeling settled behind his brow.

"Are you sure?" He croaked, his eyes wide and heart beating fast. His head was spinning, and his breath ragged. He could not believe what Kate was telling him.

"I'm in front of my computer right now, I can assure you I'm not kidding." A few minutes of silence passed, Billy was too astounded to form coherent words, or even thoughts. He was the number one. How was it real? In his mind, he knew Tommy was the reason for all of this, if he had not mentionned his books on T.V, it probably would not have happened. A sudden surge of gratitude washed over him.

"Tell me you did not pass out." Kate said, making the young man jump. Billy ran a shaking hand in his hair, leaving it messy and let out a nervous chuckle.

"It might happen." He replied. He felt like laughing, crying and throwing up at the same time.

"Well, wait for a minute because there's something else." His best friend told him, her tone ominous.

"Are you trying to kill me?" He tried to joke, but his voice was so strained it sounded off.

"Here comes the best part. Tomorrow, several articles will be published, and a few papers want an interview. And you'll never guess which of them want you the most" Kate teased, and Billy felt his inside turn a bit sour with anxiety, because he knew that was not something he could turn down, especially with Kate as his publisher. The young woman would not stop from arguing until he said yes to the interviews.

"Okay. Go ahead and tell me." He mumbled, bracing himself.

"The _New York Bulletin_ , The _Daily Bugle_ , the _Daily Globe_ , the _Pulse_ and.... Wait for it... The _Times_!" And a wave of nausea spread through Billy who doubled over, putting his head between his knees. A layer of cold sweat broke over his skin, but somehow, he was smiling. "You're still with me?"

"I think I'm on the verge of a panic attack." The writer confessed. "That's a lot, but it's awesome."

"Okay, you stay right where you are, I'm coming. Breathe!" The young woman commanded and hung up.

The young man waited twenty minutes before Kate arrived and knelt in front of him. She put a gentle and warm hand on his shoulder and he rose his head.

"Breathe. Come on. In and out. Slowly. Just like that..." The young woman whispered, caressing the writer's face, breathing with him until he was calmed. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you lose it." She apologized, but the young man flashed her a big smile. His pupils were blown by the adrenaline, and his limbs were shaking.

"I gotta tell Mom and Dad. And Tommy." Billy said, and Kate grinned.

"Hey, take a minute." She reminded him. "You were in freak out mode just a few seconds ago."

"I know, but I need to plan while it's still fresh, otherwise I'll freak out for good. God. Interviews?" He chuckled nervously. "I'm not cut out for this." Kate got up and grabbed a glass in the cabinet, filling it with water and handing it to her best friend. She quickly retrieved the drink though, Billy was shaking too much to hold it.

"Okay, maybe it was too soon for interviews. We can cancel." The young woman decided, but Billy could see it annoyed her.

"No. No. I'll do it. I'll make a fool of myself, but I'll do it." He countered, and turtled on himself when his best friend started studying him. "What?" He asked.

"Are you sure?"

Kate had that tone. The tone she used when she gave you a choice that you could not change once you had made your mind. So Billy inhaled deeply, closed his eyes and counted to ten before nodding.

"Okay then. But stop saying you'll make a fool of yourself. You'll do fine." She assured him, taking a seat in front of him. "But if you're scared, I can come with you."

"Oh thanks." That made the young man relax instantly.

"Don't thank me. I'll let you do all the talking. It's about you, not me." Kate stated, and her best friend frowned.

"I hate you."

"No, you love me. And you know it. Now that you're calm enough, call your parents." Kate winked and Billy leaped to his feet, slightly annoyed but full of love for Kate, and he dialed his phone.

***

The small restaurant was crowded, and Teddy was poking through his _Risotto al Gorgonzola_. His gaze kept wandering around the place, seeing a few couples sharing intimate moments, and it made him think of Billy. Maybe they could come back here? A small grin appeared on his face.

"Are you still with me?" Phyla asked, an eyebrow cocked as she studied his face, before taking a forkful of her _Sarde a Beccafico_. "You seem to feel better though. I'm glad."

"I was thinking of bringing Billy here." The fireman replied before taking a forkful of food. Phyla tilted her head, squinting and cocking an eyebrow.

"You didn't tell me you were seeing someone." She said, putting her fork down and crossing her hands under her chin. "So?"

"I met him at the party for the opening of the new fire station. He was there with his best friend, she's the daughter of one of our biggest donator, you know? Derek Bishop. So I was chilling at the bar, and I see this cute guy approaching, broody and frowning, and I started to hesitate on whether to talk to him or not. And as he drank his cocktail, I suddenly recognized him. Billy Kaplan, my favorite writer."

"Really?" Phyla chuckled, taking a sip of water. "Your life is still a rom-com I see." She taunted him softly.

"Apparently, yeah." Teddy replied with a shy smile. His life was truly ridiculous sometimes.

"What is he like?" His siter asked, going back to eating while staring at her little brother.

"He's got dark hair and brown eyes. He's tall, but smaller than me..." Teddy shrugged. "But what I like the most is that he's an open book. He doesn't try to hide his feelings, and that's very good. I think I couldn't stand someone calculative again."

"He sounds amazing." Phyla assured, squeezing Teddy's forearm fondly. "I wish he'll stick around enough for me to meet him." That part made the fireman smile.

"About that, I asked the guys to go out this week, and I hoped you would join us. Billy will probably be there as well." His older sister took the time to consider the thought for a few seconds, finishing her plate.

"Why not? But just so you know, if Nate is here, I'm bringing my gun. I'm not sure I like him after what you've been telling me." She declared, dead serious, and a big bubble of joy exploded inside Teddy, tearing a full bodied laugh out of him. It went on for a few minutes until the young man stopped, wiping his eyes as tears streamed down his cheek.

"God..." He breathed out, and Phyla cocked an eyebrow again.

"Leave God out of this, Theodore. This is between us." And she winked, making her little brother shoot a big bright smile.

"I love you." He simply said, full of affection.

"I love you too. Now finish your plate or I'm telling Granny her little boy has been behaving again."

They went back to the fireman's place after that, arms hooked together as they progressed through Brooklyn. Phyla had confessed she liked this borough the most. This was immediately what came to her mind when someone mentioned New York, not Manhattan or the Statue of Liberty. They reached Teddy's apartment and entered.

"Wanna watch a movie?" Teddy asked, removing his jacket and stretching painfully. "I think I hurt myself today." He muttered, rubbing his deltoid. Phyla pursed her lips.

"Tough work out?"

"More like angry work out. We all went to the gym after the intervention this morning. We needed to blow some steam."

"I bet. But you can't blame yourselves. The problem comes from your superiors. They need to fix their system as soon as possible if they want you to be efficient. Don't think about it and relax. You deserve some time of, and I know exactly what you need." The young woman turned the T.V on and started scrolling through Netflix before picking a movie.

"The Princess Bride." Teddy marveled, instantly going to plop down on his couch.

"Yup. Now just sit back and enjoy." His older sister muttered, sitting down next to him and turning the volume up.

***

"Billy, we're going to be late!" Tommy called from the front of his twin brother's bathroom, waving his hand at Kate with an anxious expression on his face. The young woman replied with a thumbs up, starting to text as fast as she could.

"I'm almost done! I'm sorry, but styling my hair is a lot harder than it looks, and you're the one that insisted. I don't see why, everyone knows my hair is messy all the time."

"I figured you'd want to do it since Teddy is going to be there and all." Tommy countered, biting his lips and craning his head to look into the living room where Cassie was making circular gestures with her hands, encouraging him to keep stalling as much as he could. The young man grimaced. "I mean, you probably didn't notice, but last time, he could not keep his eyes away from you at the bar. So let's give him a run for his money, right?"

"He's seen me without that fancy hairdo. You've seen the picture at the end of my books. Can't say I'm exactly dashing on it." Billy replied through the door, his tone displeased. "I really don't see the point. If he likes me, he'll like my hair as it is. Fuck hairwax." He was going to come out, but the frantic motions Cassie and kate were making in the living made Tommy bite the bullet.

"I'm coming in. Cover yourself, I'll help you style your hair." He saw Cassie sigh with relief and Kate raise her thumbs again. Tommy rolled his eyes and entered the bathroom, finding his brother with his hands in his hair, a determined and focused look on his face, his shirt was still open, the sleeves rolled up as he tried to tame his cowlicks, groaning each time his hair moved back from where he wanted them. Tommy let out a little sigh. "You're doing it wrong. Here." The silver haired young man dipped the tip of his index finger and middle finger in hair wax before warming it it between his hands. He moved behind his twin brother, and in a few strokes executed out of habit, he coiffed Billy's hair without batting an eyelash. "There you go, my shadow self." He joked, making Billy shake his head as he buttoned his shirt up. But Tommy was not wrong, they were the opposite reflection of each other in that very moment, Tommy with the same hairdo as Billy, his green eyes full of mischief, wearing light skinny grey pants, a baby blue shirt, and Billy with his dark red shirt, marine jeans that were too tight for his taste (a gift from Kate, she had bought them for his previous birthday, and he had never worn them, thinking it left too little to the imagination, and boy was he right.), and a black vest. "Leave a few buttons undone. Like that we'll be the wonder twins and their matching outfits." Tommy joked, and the writer huffed.

"I'm ready, we can go." He declared, smoothing the front of his vest and proceeding towards the door. With a pang of panic, Tommy looked around before deliberately knocking a cotton swap box off the shelf.

"Shit, sorry." He said, crouching down to pick up the mess, and Billy crouched down as well, looking annoyed.

"You never knock things over. What's wrong with you?" He grumbled, putting the box back in place. He then tried to reach the door again, but Tommy grabbed his forearm. "What is it?" The writer asked, sounding pissed. Tommy's mind was going berserk as he tried to find an excuse.

"I... Uh." He was running out of ideas. His attention was caught by the golden earing in his twin brother's lobe. "Proposing!" He exclaimed, making Billy's eyes go wide, a very concerned expression on his face.

"That would be incest Tommy. It's frowned upon in most societies. Besides, I don't love you enough for that." The writer countered coldly.

"Not you, stupid. I'm going to propose to Kate." Tommy lied, praying for the girls to be done already. "Will you be my best man?" He knew he had succeeded when Billy put a hand on his mouth, gasping.

"Really? Oh my God! Yes!" Billy replied, pulling his twin in a very tight hug. Tommy patted his back awkwardly, grimacing behind the writer's shoulder. "Not so scared anymore uh?" He joked as he broke their embrace, missing the fact Tommy was putting on a fake smile. "Did you pick the ring? Can I see it? Shit, sorry, I gott keep it down or I'll ruin the surprise."

"Well, I don't have it here..." Tommy replied, feeling his palms go clammy, but he did not have to come up with a new excuse, because Kate opened the door.

"Guys! What are you doing? We're going to be late!" She scolded them. Billy bit his lips and put a hand on her shoulder.

"We're coming." He said softly, squeezing her shoulder, which made Kate look at Tommy with confusion.

"Don't mind him, he's excited to see Teddy." He then guided his twin brother out of the bathroom through the door that led to the living room. Billy froze when he saw his family and Cassie in his living room. He felt a bit bad when he saw that Noh Varr was there as well. The tall and gorgeous young man was standing next to his mother, his white hair pulled back as always (Tommy was not the only adept of hair bleaching in Billy's entourage). He was the one that drew the cover arts for Billy's books, and they may have had a one night stand a few years before (much to Kate's annoyance. She was not one to mix business with pleasure, as she said.) which was why Billy felt awkward and strangely incestuous, seeing his brother and Noh shared the same hair color. And that made him feel uncomfortable to have a guy he had slept with in the same room as his parents. Noh, on the other hand, seemed completely at ease, as always. But hat made Billy's gut clench was that David Alleyne, his brother's agent, was there as well. The writer was not really fond of him for some reasons. He never knew why. And the fact that David was interested in him disturbed him greatly.

"Surprise! Congratulations!" Kate shouted, joined by everyone, ignoring Billy as he winced, before looking at his twin brother. The little shit had been stalling then. He was not going to propose.

"I hate you." He mouthed at his brother as his parents pulled him in a tight hug, congratulating him. He hugged back, firmly ignoring David and Noh, the latest with a hint of regret, because he was a friendly guy. Whom he had had sex with. Billy pulled back instantly, grimacing. "Hm... Aren't we going to be late?" He pointed out forcefully, but Kate shrugged as Tommy stared at Billy in a way that made him understand he knew exactly what was going on in his head.

"Don't worry bro. We warned Teddy you were going to be a bit late." Tommy said purposely, and Billy went bright red.

"So you're seeing Teddy-the-fireman. I knew it!" Josh claimed, clapping the writer's back as Rebecca squinted, smiling. Billy was so pissed he did not even answer.

"Hey, we're not here to discuss Billy's love life." Cassie chimed in, winking at Billy who could not be more grateful. "Who's going to uncork the bottle? It's celebration time!"

Tommy opened the bottle as everyone started chatting as the silver haired young man poured the champagne in the glasses. If Billy did his best to avoid David, he could not flee from Noh who came to him and patted his back, making the writer tense immediately.

"Hey! Congrats! Number one of the best sellers, uh? That's awesome." Noh said gently, his eyes scanning Billy. His smile faltered slightly and he reduced his voice to a whisper. "I know this is awkward, but don't worry, I'm not going to talk about it. We're adults, Billy, we agreed it was just a one time thing, so relax and just enjoy the party, okay?" The writer let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh thank you." He smiled nervously, and Noh laughed.

"Don't forget to tell Kate to send me the reviewed manuscript of your next book. I need it to start working on the cover."

"Will do." Billy confirmed, and Noh patted his back gently before going to talk with with Kate. He smiled dearly when his mother came to hug him tight. He hugged back and she kissed his cheek softly.

"I'm so proud of you." Rebecca said, looking at him, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "You're finally getting the recognition you deserve."

"Thank you, Mom." Billy replied, a bright smile blossoming on his face.

"So you're seeing Teddy tonight?" She asked softly, and her son blushed.

"It's more of a group thing. But we went on a date, and I had a great time. We'll see." Billy confessed, and his mother squeezed his hand.

"That's a good thing. Just remember to be safe." She pointed out, and Billy grimaced as Rebecca walked back to her husband and Billy's younger brothers that were all chatting with Cassie. Tommy and david joined the writer who instantly stopped smiling. If David felt personally targeted, he did not show anything.

"So Billy, since you're starting to get successful and that a few papers want to interview you, I thought you should get an agent." Tommy said with a little smile, and Billy frowned as he looked at David who just stood there.

"Kate's been doing a fine job until now." The young man pointed out. He did not want to work with David.

"Kate is very efficient. But she's no agent." The dark skinned young man replied calmly. "She's made excellent choices so far, but she's not safe from making mistakes at some point, a thing that won't happen if you work with me." But Billy huffed.

"Yeah right. And if I say I don't want to do some things? Will you screw me over like you did with Tommy? You know when you said the billboards were just going to be put up in Time Square, but they ended all over the city instead?" Tommy grimaced at that statement, but David did not bat an eyelash.

"I did what I decided was right. And now, people are calling to propose a lot of stuff to Tommy." He countered. Tommy nodded sorrily, and Billy just frowned.

"Well good for Tommy. But no one decides for me. So no, I'm not going to work with you." The writer stated. David nodded, smiling softly. He fished something in his breast pocket and handed it to Billy, who made no move to take it.

"Here, let me give you my card."

"Just leave it on the table." The writer said, crossing his arms. David nodded and offered him a bright smile.

"Okay. I'm done here, thanks Tommy, have a nice evening." The agent said, and left after stealing a glance at Billy again.

"Yuck. He makes my skin crawl." The writer let out, before downing his champagne in one large gulp. "If he starts harassing me, I'll kill you." He told his twin brother who chuckled.

"Oh come on. He's got a crush on you, that's sweet." Tommy shrugged. "Besides, he's very nice. And eager to work with a writer. He's never done it before!"

"He's... Too full of himself. And I feel naked every time he's around." Billy groaned. "What were you thinking? You know I don't want him near me. There's something in him that disturbs me." Kate joined the twins with a smile and planted a big kiss on Billy's cheek before Tommy pulled her against him.

"I'm so proud of you Billy." The young woman said gently. She eyed Noh who was laughing with Cassie and Billy's little brothers, while Rebecca and Jeff were talking in the opposite corner of the room. "I hope you don't mind that I told Noh to come. But he's been working with us since the beginning, I wonder why." She added, slightly chastising him.

"Geez Kate, it only happened once, and years ago, okay?" The writer grumbled. "I'm not sleeping with him in exchange for his work. Will you stop bringing that up?" He instantly softened when he saw Kate smiling. "And you're just fucking with me." He realized.

"Well I'm not going to complain about you getting laid. God knows you need it bad." Kate taunted him, before lifting her glass to him. "I would have preferred you didn't do it with someone that works with us, but at least I know Noh is not the kind of guy to get attached."

"Yeah, what kind of name is Noh by the way? Imagine if you got married? Will you take Noh to be your husband? That sounds weird." Tommy chuckled. Billy stuck his tongue out to him.

"It's his pseudonym. His real name is unpronounceable." The writer said.

"I just wonder what you said 'during.' " Kate said, making her best friend go bright red. "Because 'Noh' would make you sound like you didn't want it anymore." She giggled, and Tommy pinched her arm gently.

"Quit slut-shaming my brother. He has the right to get laid with whomever he wants. Speaking of which, we should get going before Teddy gets impatient." He teased, and Billy groaned rather loudly, surprising everyone in the room.

"I freaking hate you both." The young man stated, going to put his empty glass on the table.

***

They left Noh and Billy's family when they reached the subway. They were going to meet the firefighters in a bar near Broadway, it was an open mic night and Tommy had really wanted to go there again. The previous time had been for Kate's birthday in September, and he had blown everyone's minds with a perfect rendition of _You are so beautiful_ by Joe Cocker. Billy was not very fond of this place, because sometimes, the waiters simply picked people randomly to go sing on stage, and he was dreading that would happen to him. They got out of the subway, greeted by the billboards and the lights and Billy shuffled awkwardly on his feet. He calmed down slightly when Cassie hooked her arm with his and smiled. She looked beautiful, with her hair curled loosely and her light brown make up that highlighted her green-blue eyes.

"Eager to see him?" She asked softly, as Tommy and Kate walked in front of them.

"Yes. Not so sure about the place though. I can't sing, so I don't want any of you to force me to." He replied nervously.

"I'll make sure it doesn't happen." The young woman promised. They kept walking for a few minutes more until they reached the bar. When they entered, they were greeted by cheering and laughter. Nate was on stage, gyrating his hips along the rhythm of the song, the guys behind the piano, the battery and the guitar were laughing so hard they were crying.

  
_"I'm too sexy for my cat, too sexy for my cat  
Poor pussy, poor pussy cat..."_

"At least you were lucky enough to not see the beginning. That's Nate, the youngest member of our squad." Eli told them, joining them as they entered, face blank but his eyes were clearly amused. "I don't know if we told you about him last time."

"How much did he drink?" Kate asked, eyes wide as Tommy was laughing hard. Cassie was looking at Nate with interest, she apparently had nothing against people that sang off key, or that liked goofing off.

"He didn't." Eli said, apologetic.

"I like him." Tommy declared, wiping his eyes, still giggling.

"We're over there." Eli pointed to a table were the firefighters were all looking at the stage. America had her face buried in her right hand, Teddy was grimacing, and there was a young woman next to him that Billy did not recognize. She was pretty, with short platinum blonde hair styled like Charlize Theron for the 2013 Academy Awards. And she looked absolutely horrified. Their little group proceeded towards the table as Nate finished the song and took a bow under the applause of the intoxicated crowd. As soon as Teddy spotted Billy he got up and a warm smile spread on his face. He was wearing a white shawl collared sweater with marine blue stripes and black jeans tucked inside his (unlaced) combat boots.

"Hey you." He greeted softly, cheeks reddening slightly. "Congrats. I heard about your books." Billy removed his coat and scarf and smiled, trying to shove his hands in his pockets, but his jeans were too tight for this. Teddy scanned him and looked away, biting his lips. "Hum... You look good." He complimented, and that sent butterflies flying all around the writer's stomach.

"Thank you. You're not so bad yourself." Billy replied, appalled by his lame answer. "You kinda look like a sailor." He remarked, and Teddy let out a small laugh.

"My sister insisted that I wear this... Which doesn't make me sound like a child at all." The fireman realized, but Billy was smiling.

"I think you're gorgeous." He declared, not shying away from something he said for once. After all, he did find Teddy gorgeous all the time, and that would not be weird to tell him, right? They had shared a kiss a few days before, so he had the right to tell him he found him good looking, right? Billy was not sure of the dating etiquette anymore, but he did not have the time to dwell on it for too long. Teddy grabbed his hand and led him to the table gently, before sitting down.

"Billy, this is Phyla, my sister." Teddy introduced the Charlize Theron look alike and Billy smiled weakly. Did everyone in Teddy's family look like models, or was it just the two of them? he wondered as he extended his hand to shake the young woman's who was studying him like a cat studies its prey.

"Nice to meet you. Are you planning on breaking my brother's heart?" Phyla asked flatly, sending chills all over the writer's body. She had the same eyes as her brother, the young man remarked, but if Teddy's were always warm and welcoming, Phyla's were cold and calculating. The table felt silent, Kate and Tommy frowned as the firefighters looked away awkwardly. Cassie made a face, and just as Billy was starting to stutter, Teddy cut him short.

"Phyla! Be nice." He commanded, tone threatening, and a smirk appeared on his sister's face.

"Sorry Billy. Just wanted to test your reaction." She revealed, picking her drink and taking a sip from it.

"Leave your cop bullshit out of this." Teddy said.

"I'm just being cautious. You seem to be a real asshole magnet." Phyla joked, but it did not make her brother laugh. He clenched his jaw and looked down, and Billy felt sweat gather on his back as his insides grew cold. Kate folded her hand under her chin and gave Phyla her bitchiest smile.

"Seems like it." She simply declared. America cocked an eyebrow, an impressed smile floating on her lips. Eli just nodded, absolutely not surprised and Tommy let out a small chuckle. Billy, on the other hand, was feeling sick. He turtled on himself, trembling until he felt a warm hand settle on the small of his back. He looked up and saw Teddy shake his head. It was eventually Nate who broke the tension, a dreamy smile on his face.

"Are you about to have a catfight? Because I need to see this if it happens."

"Shut up!" America groaned and punched him the arm. Cassie bit her lips, and looked away when Nate finally set his eyes on her, his mouth closing tight. Phyla chuckled and winked at Kate.

"I like you, Miss. Sorry Teddy." She added. "Breathe Billy. I was not serious." But Billy only managed to grimace.

"Try something else next time." Tommy declared coldly, only now seeing his twin brother's state. "We have anxiety issues in the family." He got up and Patted his brother's shoulder. "Come with me. Let's order some drinks." He encouraged cautiously, and Billy got up, following him. Phyla had the decency to look mortified. Teddy turned his head towards her, displeasure painted all over his face.

"Sorry." Phyla mouthed, but Teddy just downed his beer and remained silent.

***

  
_"In the light of the sun, is there anyone? Oh, it has begun..._   
_Oh dear, you look so lost, your eyes are red and tears are shed,_   
_This world you must've crossed..._   
_You said..."_

Tommy had claimed the stage, and even though people had started raising their lighters in the air, he was completely ignoring the crowd, eyes settled on Kate who was leaning on the wall, her glass in her left hand and the right tight around her left upper arm. Eli was standing next to her, his arm raised with a lighter in his hand, an expression of deep respect on his face. Cassie was sitting with America, Nate and Phyla and she seemed to have a fun moment, Nate was explaining something with large hand gestures, and the young woman listened, transfixed under America and Phyla's disapproving look. Billy was perched on a bar stool, his chin in a hand, and a glass of whiskey (his third) in the other. He was listening to twin his brother as he started singing the first chorus of the song, and cameras were flashing from time to time, no doubts from people that had recognized Tommy and were going to put the pictures on Facebook or whatever. David was going to be pissed, Billy thought, and that felt delightful. Maybe he needed to stop drinking.

"So, I may not have been totally honest with you." Teddy seemed sad as he climbed on the stool next to Billy who took a sip of his whiskey, eyes setting on the other's. The writer put his glass down, the left corner of his mouth lifting up in a wry smile. He folded his hands in front of him and waited for the fireman to go on. "There's a good reason behind Phyla's behavior." The blonde young man started, looking straight ahead, away from Billy's eyes. "Do you remember Greg? The guy you thought was my boyfriend? Well, we've been having sex since my senior year in high school." Billy cleared is throat and downed the rest of his whiskey, a pang of pain settling behind his solar plexus. It had been too good to be true, he thought. Greg was gorgeous, just like Teddy. Birds of a feather, really, all broad, and beautiful, unlike little nerdy Billy who wrote fantasy books for living and who felt so bad in his own skin he trembled every time he had to leave his comfort zone. "I was in love with him back then. I grew out of it when I started college, or so I thought. He's not even gay, you know? But every time he failed to score with a girl, he came to me, knowing I wouldn't say no. I put an end to this when I graduated from college. But it didn't stop there. You wanna know why I couldn't stop?" It was more of a rhetorical question, and Billy knew it. But he did not want to know, his stomach was already knotted enough. How could he pretend compete against the shadow of Teddy's first love? A love that was still there apparently. Teddy was now blinking back tears that were threatening to spill out of his chalcedony eyes. "He made me hope that one day he'll be with me. Each time he came to visit, he told me he loved me, and each time he took he took it back. In my stupid head, I thought, if he's telling me, he must mean it, even if he's saying otherwise the next hour. And then he broke me. He was drunk that night, when it happened. He told me I was a nice and warm hole to him." And the tears started falling, Billy gasped and felt cold all over, horror washing over him. "When you saw him at my apartment the other day, it was the first time I saw him in years. Needless to say I relapsed. Phyla acted the way she did earlier because she knows everything, and she would die before someone else does that to me again. With America and Phyla, and now you, that makes only three people who know about this filthy part of my past." Teddy whispered, miserable and disgusted wiping the tears off his cheeks. "But I figured you ought to know since Phyla treated you like shit for no reason. I'd understand if you never want to see me again."

Billy's heart felt tight. It was like it was trying to beat faster and harder than it actually could. He felt unfair for his previous disappointment. Teddy had gone through something awful, and he felt horrible for judging him so quickly. In his drunken haze, he lifted a hand and wiped the tears from Teddy's face himself.

"The only boyfriend I had was Jimmy Stidham, in high school. Turns out, he was only experimenting. He's now married with two kids. You can count the number of people I've slept with on one hand, the last one was almost a year ago, and it was a guy that wanted to fuck my brother. He even called me 'Tommy' during... Well... The act. It's been especially hard to be mistaken for Tommy since then. And I sheltered myself from the world and the men." Teddy was looking at him with confusion, his eyes full of empathy, the other young man's hand still on his cheek. "What can I say? I'm the ugly twin." The writer tried to joke, but it came out a little slurred. He really should not have drunk whiskey. He had never been able to hold it. Teddy rose his hand and grabbed Billy's softly, almost tender. "It wasn't your fault Teddy. It was Greg's. I still want to see you. We both have a past, and we'll have to learn to live with it. And for the first time in a long time, I'm ready to do it." He declared, and despite having drunk too much whiskey, he meant it.

"You are not the ugly twin." Teddy whispered, his eyes never leaving Billy's. "You really are beautiful. And sweet." Their hands were still joined, and the fireman's thumb was tracing small circles on the back of the writer's hand. Billy leaned closer and Teddy followed his move. Their lips met, warm, soft, moving and gliding against one another. Billy let his tongue slide across Teddy's lower lips, and the fireman allowed him to lick his way further in, still gently, their kiss not rushed at all, but slow, tentative, yet firm. Despite the little peck Teddy had given him after their date, Billy could not shake the thought that this now was their real first kiss.

  
_"I think I'll go to Boston,_   
_I think that I was tired,_   
_I think I need a new town to leave this all behind..."_

They broke their kiss as Tommy came closer to the end of the song. Teddy smiled dearly, full of dimples, and cupped Billy's cheek with his hand.

"That was..." He started but could not finish, dazzled and eyes sparkling.

"Yeah." Billy agreed with a sheepish laugh. They both blushed when they heard cheering and whooping from their friends who were giving up thumbs up and punching the air in victory, Kate winked at Billy, momentarily distracted from Tommy's performance, Eli was smiling at Teddy and shaking his head, still holding his lighter up. Cassie blew a kiss in their direction and Nate did the finger guns at Teddy, going as far as to blow imaginary smoke from his fingers. America simply nodded to Teddy, her eyes twinkling and Phyla finished her glass, smiling sorrily at them. Billy waved and she seemed to relax a bit, and her smile grew wide and bright.

  
_"I think I need a sunrise,_   
_I'm tired of the sunset,_   
_I hear it's nice in the summer, some snow would be nice... Oh yeah_

_You don't know me, and you don't even care, oh yeah_

  
_Boston... Where no one knows my name..._   
_Where no one knows my name..._   
_Where no one knows my name... Yeah_

  
_Boston...  
Where no one knows my name..."_


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank everyone of you who read this story and leave kudos and comments. I never thought this could happen, and I'm seriously grateful for this <3\. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well.
> 
> Trigger Warning!!! In this Chapter, Teddy and Kate catch stomach flu, and some throwing up happens, I tried to make it not too graphic (also, stomach flu sucks, I caught it a few days after I finished writing it. Karma, I guess.)
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to Laura, my Beta. She stuck with me all this time, and she deserves all the kudos left here, as well as my dearest thank you <3
> 
> Things get a bit heated up in this chapter, in many ways ;).
> 
> I think I didn't forget anything, so enjoy your reading =)

"You're still mad?"

"Yup."

Teddy was keeping his eyes on the T.V screen, ignoring Phyla purposefully. The tip of his tongue was sticking out between his teeth as he tried to take down the Northern Hunter for the third time since he started playing the game. God, he hated Crestwood so much. Probably as much as he hated his sister right now. He kept smashing the buttons of his controller harshly as Phyla huffed, sitting cross-legged in the leather armchair next to the couch.

"I didn't mean to upset him, you know? But after what Greg has done to you, I couldn't help myself. I mean, yeah, Billy seems like a nice guy and all, but Teddy, he's your favorite writer. Who says he's not using the fact that you're one of his fans to take advantage of you?"

The young man paused the game as a pang of anger surged through him. He threw the controller next to him and faced his sister. Phyla bit her lip, but her eyes did not leave Teddy's.

"God, you really do think I'm that stupid?" He growled. "I've spent time with him, and I know he's not the type to use his fame to get into someone's pants. And I like him Phyla. He's amazing, okay? He can stop writing for all I care. All I want to know is him. He's sweet, and smart, and funny. And fucking cute. So quit being a bitch about him, he's not like Greg."

Phyla's eyebrows twitched at her brother's tone, but she kept herself calm and collected. She ran a hand into her platinum blonde hair and crossed her arms. Teddy clenched his jaw and went back to his game. His sister rolled her eyes and looked back at the screen. She could not help it, she had to protect her little brother, and true, she had been unfair to Billy. Phyla knew, deep down, that Billy was not like Greg, but her police officer instinct forced her to be suspicious. It was the only way she could keep her sanity around people. Teddy swore when Solas died on the screen.

"You fucking traitor! You really are doing everything to fuck the Inquisition!!" He protested, rushing to resurrect the mage. Phyla huffed. "What?" Teddy groaned, but he softened when he saw the half smile on his sister's face.

"How can I accept the fact that you're a grown man if you keep acting like you're that sixteen and obnoxious brat?" She asked. "I'm sorry Teddy. I'll apologize to Billy next time I see him." She promised.

"Making progress." Teddy said in a flat tone, but what Phyla had just said made him feel warm. The woman sighed and moved to the couch. She studied the screen for a second and licked her lips.

"Here." She took the controller from Teddy's hands.

"Hey what are you..." The young man protested, his eyes going wide as Phyla moved the characters around, putting Cassandra and the Inquisitor on the front, and moving Varric and Solas away from the Dragon's reach. And she started the battle. "... Doing." Teddy finished, as Phyla started playing and avoiding all the lightnings the Northern Hunter breathed and all of her vortexes. The fight lasted for minutes, and Teddy started encouraging his sister as she moved the characters around the Dragon, until she managed to kill it.

"See, you need to focus on all your party members. You use your hero too much, but the others can help as well. There's strength in numbers, Teddy. You need to allow yourself to get some support from time to time." Phyla declared, with a little glance at her brother.

"Are we still talking about the game?" He asked, absolutely not fooled as he crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow. Phyla chuckled and ruffled the young man's golden hair, ignoring his protests.

"Come on, smartass, let's cook dinner." She deflected, pausing the game and moving to the kitchen, leaving Teddy on the couch, shaking his head with a smirk.

***

**Tommy:** Don't be mad, I left a little something on your table earlier. Thank me later,  <3

Tommy leaving a heart at the end of the text should have alerted Billy. He closed his door and removed his scarf and coat before making his way to the living room of his little loft. He had spent a very tiring day with Kate in her office as she tried her best to prepare him for his future interviews. So Billy was not in the best of moods, his best friend had been ruthless, pointing out that some of the journalists were not going to be tender with him. When he spotted the plastic bag on the table, he sincerely hopped Tommy had left a cake or something, because he really wanted to eat his feelings right now. Horror hit him hard when he emptied the bag on his table, and a deep flush appeared on his face and ears.

The blue box fell on his coffee table with a soft thud, followed by the sharper sound of a full hard plastic bottle. King size was written in bright gold letters on the box and Billy let out a choked sound, instantly grabbing is phone with fury. Tommy took his time to pick up, and he did not get the time to greet his twin brother.

"Tommy! What the fuck is that?!" Billy roared into his phone, unable to even look at the items on the table. In fact, he even retreated to his room, fighting the urge to crawl under his blanket and hide. He almost growled when he heard Tommy giggle at the end of the line.

"What? I figured you might need it, seeing you officialized with Teddy last night and all." Tommy stated, proud of himself.

"Oh God, this is so not okay! We've barely started dating! What were you thinking!!" Billy protested furiously, feeling himself turn redder.

"Oh, come on Kaplan! Stop your blushing virgin act! It's bound to happen, you were practically eating each other's face last night! It's perfectly natural to have sex, you know!" Tommy retorted, and his twin brother contemplated smothering himself with a pillow for a second.

"Please, shut up!" He whined and Tommy started to laugh. "Besides, how do you know..." The young man could not bring himself to say it. But as always, Tommy seemed to be able to read his mind.

"Billy, we're twins. Although I may not have an extra long penis, it's thick. Our eyes put aside, we're identical, so I just did the ma..." Tommy sing-songed, and Billy pulled the phone away from his ear, but it was too late.

"Stop talking about your penis!!!" He shouted at the device, his raspy voice climbing to impossible heights. He did not think it was possible to find something worse than the day his parents gave him "the talk". He was deeply wrong. After a minute of profound disgust and horrified silence, he heard Tommy's muffled voice in the speaker. He put the phone back against his ear, sweating with dread.

"...Twenty eight! Grow up Billy! You have a penis! I have a penis! And I don't see why we should be ashamed to talk about it! Sometimes, I think it's not a stick you have up your ass, it's a whole bunch of it! So yeah, I know your condom size, because it's the same as mine. Our penises are most likely identical. Well except that I'm unc..."

Billy hung up with a loud squeal and threw his phone on the other side of the bed before grabbing a pillow and shoving it in his own face. His phone started ringing, but he ignored it. He knew it was Tommy. What was wrong with the guy? He wondered with fury as he got up and went to pick the box of condom and the bottle of lube to shove them in the cabinet next to the sink in the bathroom. What kind of guy bought condoms for his brother? Tommy did. Because Tommy was a little shit. And Billy hated Tommy.

The young man decided to distract himself and went back to his writing, a grumpy expression on his face. His phone kept ringing and ringing, loud and annoying as the hours went by. But Billy did not want to answer to his brother. He shuddered with disgust every time he thought of Tommy talking about his junk. Finally, after hearing _Sixteen Going on Seventeen_ for what felt like the billionth times, Billy picked up.

"What?!" He shouted with spite.

"Uh, hi?" Teddy's voice sounded hesitant. Oh crap, oh crap.

"Teddy! I'm sorry, Tommy's been harassing me all evening long, I didn't mean to shout." The writer babbled with panic and heard the fireman chuckle at the end of the line.

"For a second I thought you were mad at me for some reason. I was about to ask if I was that poor of a kisser..."

Okay, Teddy was flirting. That was good, right? Billy pushed his glasses up on his nose and ran a hand through his hair.

"What? Uh, no. I mean yes. I mean, no I'm not mad at you, and no you're not a bad kisser." Billy knew he was not making any sense, and he removed his glasses before rubbing his face. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day." He apologized.

"What did Tommy do?" Teddy asked, and just by the tone of his voice, Billy knew he was smiling, and that made him feel warm all over.

"Uh... Just the usual. He's a little shit that loves to torment me." The young man lied. "And Kate has been torturing me all day long with those pretend interviews..."

"Ah, it's happening soon then?" Teddy's voice was gentle and reassuring. "You'll do fine." He promised, but then again, how could he be so sure? Billy was already freaking out at the mere thought of sitting with a journalist that was going to ask him questions and probably use quotes against him. If Kate had been present, she would have hit him behind the head and scolded him.

"Two days from now. I'm just afraid I'll make a fool of myself." The writer decided to confess.

"Well, if it goes wrong, you can come cry on my shoulder." Teddy said with a chuckle. "That's what boyfriends are for, right?" He added, but he sounded hesitant. Little did he know that Billy instantly stood up excitedly, trying to tame his heartbeat.

"Boyfriends?" He croaked. "I mean, is that what we are? Because yes, I mean, I want that." He was babbling again.

"Boyfriends then." Teddy agreed, and he sounded relieved. "Oh shit." He suddenly let out.

"What?" Billy asked, tensing up.

"I'm an ass." Teddy declared. "You do not ask a guy to be your boyfriend over the phone!" He exclaimed. It made Billy let out a heartfelt little laugh.

"Well, then let's meet tomorrow after your shift so you can ask me properly." He mumbled.

"Yes. That is a very good idea. So forget the last part of the conversation." Teddy demanded cheekily.

"Forget what?" The writer asked with a toothy grin. He could play along. In fact, he wanted to.

"Exactly." The fireman chuckled. "So, my sister is basically making faces at me, so I'm gonna hang up. See you tomorrow, Billy. Sleep well."

"You too, Teddy. See you tomorrow."

***

Teddy could not focus. He was buzzing with excitement and his eyes kept drifting to the clock on the wall of the fire station. He groaned quietly and went back to his book, staring at the same line he had been reading for the twentieth time since he had finished washing the trucks with Nate and Karolina. The young woman had dumped a full bucket of soapy water on Nate's head after he had made a lewd comment about girls and carwash. She was now sitting with Teddy in the "living room" making a little face at the young man.

"You know time will not go faster even if you keep looking at the clock." Karolina pointed out, crossing her arms that were covered in tattoos with vibrant colors. "You have a date with Billy tonight?" She asked with a knowing grin. Teddy made a surprised face, they were not particularly close so they rarely talked.

"How do you know?" He asked with a little smile, closing his book and dropping it next to him. Karolina flashed a bright smile and pushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"Well, everybody talks about how you apparently found yourself a very cute guy, so yeah, everyone in the station knows. Some of the girls are a bit disappointed though." She chuckled gently. "Just so you know, the whole station placed bets on how long you would wait until you make it official." Teddy perked up at that, feeling a bit betrayed. The whole station, really?

"There are bets?" He asked.

"Oh yeah.." Karolina stated, a devilish smile floating on her lips. "Nate started them." She was studying him, as if trying to decipher how he would react, but he gave her a big smile.

"Of course Nate would do that." He declared, and saw sparks light up in Karolina's eyes. She started talking excitedly.

"Don't disappoint me, Altman! I said you'd wait two weeks, and we're apparently close to me losing money. So please tell everyone this week end."

"Oh, well, I'll see what I can do about it." He declared with a chuckle, happy he got to work on his people skill. It felt good to talk with someone he was not close with and maybe make a new friend. He was about to add something when his usual teammates entered the living room. Karolina's lips went thin when she saw Nate and she stiffened. America dropped next to Teddy and let out a heavy sigh. Eli seemed really pissed and Nate had his head tucked in his shoulders. That was when Teddy heard the commotion.

"What's that?" He asked his friends as Karolina jumped to her feet to move towards the door. She was stopped by Eli who rose a hand at her and shook his head.

"You don't want to go there, K." He announced in a snarl. "Logan and Scott dropped by." Teddy instantly got up, and walked towards the door with resolve. Eli grabbed him by the forearm. "Bad plan Ted." He tried to reason, but the other brushed past him an exited in the hallways to go to the firetruck hangar. He heard the other firefighters on his heels and entered the hangar with a frown.

And true, Scott and Logan were here, the first with his eternal red shades and the other with a cigar between his lips, they both were sporting arrogant grins on their face as Steve was trying to usher them out. Teddy's hands curled into fists, but Karolina put a gentle hand on his wrist and tied her hair in a tight bun, before she walked towards the three men. She was as tall as the captain and she stopped next to Logan, who seemed comically small next to her.

"Is there a problem, gentlemen?" She asked with her melodic voice, a smile blossoming on her lips.

"We were just worried about you." Logan replied, absolutely not impressed by the tall young woman. "I mean, you're barely functional and all. We were afraid your station was going to... Well. Blow up a second time." He replied with a mean grin, and Steve went red. Karolina squinted.

"As you can see, everything is going just fine." She replied, still smiling, but her dark blue eyes cold as ice.

"I don't know. It looks kinda messy to me." Scott declared flatly. "I'm sure Chief Fury will want to know about it."

"Are you threatening us, Summers?" Steve intervened, going redder and redder by the second. Teddy bit his lips as anger flared inside his chest. The captain looked so thin in front of the two others, he heard a choked noise at his right and turned his head in that direction. Eli was holding America by the arm firmly. The young woman was struggling to break free.

"Let me go!" She hissed, but Eli held on.

"No, I'm simply stating the fact. Face it, Rogers. You can't function correctly, you were still in a coma a month ago. And your team is just a bunch of clowns." Scott pointed out, turning his head towards Karolina and giving her a once over. Teddy huffed and walked towards the group.

"Come on, Captain. Don't mind them. They obviously have nothing better to do." He said calmly, putting a hand on Steve's shoulder. He attempted to pull the older man with him but Steve stayed put.

"Insult my team one more time, come on." He growled, which caused Logan to laugh.

"What are you gonna do? Look at you, Rogers. You're a toothpick. Besides, you wouldn't risk any of us filling a complain against you." Logan pointed out.

"Oh, I can still break your face if you don't leave immediately." Steve growled, losing his temper. "I won't say it again, Logan. You pick your buddy and you get the fuck out." Logan let out a barking laughter, just as Scott huffed.

"I'd like to see that. Take one swing, and you'll probably lose an arm. Like your boyfriend, Bucky."

He should not have said that. With a roar, Steve lunged forward just as the other firefighters present rushed to hold their captain back. Steve pushed Logan who tumbled backwards and America got into his face to start pushing him as well. Eli put his strong arms around Steve's waist, Nate and Karolina holding the older man's arms. Scott groaned and pulled his arm back, determined to punch Steve, but Teddy jumped in between them just in time to receive the blow.

Next thing he knew, he was sitting down the floor of the hangar, seeing stars. A sharp pain was radiating from his right eye to his ear that was buzzing. Steve was shouting profanities as Scott and Logan ran for it. A little crowd was forming in the hangar as all the firefighters present rushed to meet them all.

"Altman! Altman! Out of the way for fuck's sake!" Someone groaned. Teddy's head was spinning as he blinked to get rid of the unpleasant sensation. Karolina knelt between his spread legs and rose three fingers in front of his face. "Altman, how many fingers?" She asked sharply, studying his face.

"Too many." Teddy groaned. America and Eli pulled him up. The crowd parted as they escorted him to the "living room".

"Ice. We need ice." America growled and Nate ran to the fridge.

"It's already bruising!" Eli pointed out.

"Why did you do that, Teddy?" Steve's displeased voice thundered in the room.

"Silence! I think he's going to need stitches." Karolina declared, her face too close to Teddy's. "The bastard split his eyebrow. Gauze! Give me some gauze!"

The next minutes passed in a blur. Karolina cleaned the blood and applied some gauze on it. Steve was ranting and pacing around the living room, mumbling a string of threats and insults nobody was listening to.

"We should get him to a hospital. It's not stopping." America pointed out as she applied ice to Teddy's face, as the young man was bleeding through the gauze. Teddy groaned.

"Great."

"Don't be a baby." America scolded him. "Come on."

Teddy's injury only required two steri-strips, but what happened after that made him want to punch through a wall. Chief Fury was waiting for them at the station with a very displeased expression on his face. He sent Teddy home despite his protests. As he left the station, with America, Eli, Nate and Karolina around him, he heard Fury clamor in Steve's office, and he grimaced. His teammates promised to keep him updated and he left, anger burning bright in his chest.

Phyla was not home when he finally got to his apartment in Brooklyn, and he rushed to the bathroom, grimacing as he studied his face in the mirror. A bright purple bruise was blossoming around his right eye, and there was a bit of dried blood on his neck. He cleaned it quickly and paused. He grabbed his phone and started texting with a grimace.

**Me:** Okay, when we meet later, don't freak out, okay? I kinda have a black eye. They sent me home.

He tossed the phone on a pile of towels and removed his FDNY shirt. It was stained with blood, and he had to wash it quickly. He went downstairs and started loading his washing machine, wincing now and then at the throbbing pain in his eyebrow. Once done, he went back up to his bathroom and noticed the notifications on his screen.

  
**Billy:** A black eye??? What happened?   
**Billy:** Teddy?   
**Billy:** Hello?????   
**Billy:** Okay, since you're not replying, I'm coming over.

***

Okay, maybe it was a bit exaggerated, Billy thought as he knocked on Teddy's door. Now that he was coming down of his sudden freak out session, he was feeling the urge to run away. Was it okay to barge in Teddy's apartment this early in their relationship? He was about to take a step back when Teddy opened the door with a shy smile, and the writer melted. He was wearing a grey tank top, and his arms were perfect. His shoulders round with muscles, broad under the straps of the piece of clothing. But Billy quickly recovered and looked at Teddy's face. A bright purple bruise was adorning his right eye, but thankfully it was not swollen. The writer wrinkled his nose.

"We're going to need ice." He sighed. Teddy seemed surprised and cocked an eyebrow before wincing. He rose a hand to his face. "Ouch." Billy said with sympathy, grimacing slightly. Teddy chuckled.

"You don't look impressed." The fireman remarked gently, and Billy shrugged with a smile.

"Black eyes were my daily life in high school. I'm going to need more to be impressed." He declared. Teddy stepped aside and invited him in, looking confused. "Long story." Billy declared gently. "What happened?" The writer asked as Teddy closed his door and pushed his fists in his pockets.

"I took a punch for Steve." The fireman replied with a little smile. And Billy melted again, cringing internally as he thought about Teddy getting punched in the face. Could Teddy be any more perfect? He wondered, unwinding his bright red scarf and unbuttoning his woolen coat.

"You're such a hero. Fireman slash human shield." Billy joked, as Teddy took his coat and walked towards his living room. He hung the coat on a chair and turned around. "So, ice?" Billy asked with a little grin, and Teddy grimaced.

"I don't want to shove ice into my face. It's November." He protested gently, and Billy gave him a devilish smile.

"You made me eat ice cream the other day. Now it's my turn." He pointed out, and Teddy snorted.

"Oh this is payback then! I knew you'd try to avenge." The fireman joked, but Billy shook his head.

"I'll tell you what. You let me take care of that black eye, and if you behave, you'll get a kiss." He flirted, and felt his ears turn hot. Teddy's cheeks were a bit pink as well and he put a hand on the back of his neck with a nervous chuckle.

"Oh... Well... In that case... I mean... Okay, yeah." He said. He brushed past Billy and went behind the isle in the middle of the kitchen before opening his fridge to get some ice. Billy was fumbling through his coat pockets until he pulled out a tube of ointment.

"The key with a black eye is to apply ice during two or three days, use ointment for bruises, and then switch to warm compresses. This method worked miracles with me." Billy said with a smile as Teddy returned from the kitchen, a bag of frozen peas in his hand. "Sit down." He instructed and Teddy obeyed, looking at him expectantly. Billy leaned in and opened the tube of ointment before putting some on his fingers. He began applying it to the fireman's eye, his brow furrowed and is tongue between his teeth. Teddy was surprised. The writer's fingers were soft and he did not hurt him once. He took the bag of frozen peas from him and grabbed a chair to sit in front of Teddy. He then put it against the right side of his face.

"Ever thought of being a nurse?" He asked softly, and Billy let out a small laugh. His brown eyes found Teddy's and he shook his head.

"I'm a dreamer. My second brother, Josh, is an athlete. Ben, on the other hand is going to be a doctor. So, no, I never thought of pursuing a medical career. Why? You think I'd make a good nurse?" He said in a playful tone.

"Well... I know that if you were my nurse, I'd want to heal as fast as possible." Teddy declared, and he made a little face when Billy's face fell. "So I could take you on a date!" He specified with a hint of panic in his voice. "That didn't come out the way I wanted." He muttered. Billy cocked an eyebrow.

"But then, my books would not exist." He pointed out jokingly and Teddy shook his head.

"I'm more interested in the author, Billy." He retorted shyly. "I mean, I hope you know that... I'm not interested in you because you write awesome books. I mean, I love your stories, sure. But honestly, after meeting you, I'm way more into you than them."

The writer blushed, and looked away. True, he still had doubts about all this, because Teddy was... Well, usually, guys like him never looked twice at Billy. But every time, Teddy proved him wrong, and he could get used to this, he realized. And Teddy did not even know who Tommy was, so it was another positive point. It felt good to be liked for himself. So he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Teddy's lips, who kissed back.

They broke apart when the front door opened and Phyla entered, carrying grocery bags. She froze and looked at the both of them, her eyebrows twitching a little.

"Am I interrupting?" She asked, staying still. And then she saw Teddy's face and put the bags down. "Teddy? What happened to your eye?" Her tone was urging and she rushed to her brother's side. Billy moved away awkwardly but Phyla grabbed his wrist. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Making room?" Billy replied quietly, but Phyla shook her head.

"You can stay." She pointed out with a gentle smile. "I'm sorry, I know you mustn't be my biggest fan right now seeing what I did yesterday, and I really want to apologize. I went overboard, but I really didn't mean to. I'm just..."

"Overprotective." Teddy said flatly, winking at Billy.

"I was gonna say 'a real bitch' but yeah." Phyla shrugged and Billy smiled awkwardly. "So, are you guys going to tell me what happened?" She insisted.

"I got punched in the face." Teddy replied as if it did not matter. "It's okay, it's just a black eye."

"Did you get checked?"

"Yes." Teddy rolled his eyes and winced before putting a hand over his right eye. "It still hurts though. But thanks to Billy, I'll be as good as new in no time. He has a magical recipe." He tried to joke, making the young man splutter and blush. Phyla got up and patted Billy's back with an appreciative expression on her face.

"Thanks for taking care of him." She said and Billy stole a glance at Teddy.

"That's what boyfriends are for." He replied, and felt something warm settle in his chest when Teddy beamed at him as he repeated the words the fireman had said to him on the phone the previous day. Phyla smiled as well and looked at the two of them.

"Boyfriends, uh?" She repeated and went to pick up the grocery bags. "Well, I'm gonna go put all of this in the kitchen, and leave you two alone then. Don't do anything I don't want to see!" She called as she retreated behind the kitchen isle.

"I should maybe build a wall between the living room and the kitchen..." Teddy fake whispered, making his sister chuckle in the kitchen as he pulled Billy closer. Billy stole a glance to Phyla, but she had her back on them. "So... I think you promised me a kiss earlier..." Teddy mumbled, a cheeky smile appearing on is face and Billy snorted.

"I think I already gave it to you." He said, jamming his fingers in Teddy's naked shoulder. And yes, it was as firm as he thought it would be. Teddy pouted.

"But you don't taste like whiskey this time." He argued with a smirk, and the writer made an embarrassed noise, putting a hand on his face. "And I don't taste like beer, so we should kiss. For science." Teddy added, making Billy scoff as he looks back at Teddy.

"Please, don't tell me you're the kind of person that likes to remind people of their most embarrassing moments." He sighed, But Teddy suddenly pulled him in his lap and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"Embarrassing? I've had my fair share of drunken kiss, and I can say that you have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about." The fireman grinned. "Besides..." He whispers, getting closer and closer, "I like whiskey." He finished, and Billy flicked him on the shoulder. "Ouch! That hurt!" He poked Billy in the ribs, and the writer cocked an eyebrow.

"Sorry, Altman. I'm not ticklish." He said proudly, and regretted it instantly when the fireman's grip grew firmer. "Don't you dare..." He attempted, but went silent as Teddy started poking him at different places, making him squirm. It went on like that for a few seconds until Phyla came back from the kitchen.

"Guys! Keep it PG!" She sing-songed, sitting in the armchair next to the couch. They broke apart and Billy got off Teddy's lap, both blushing redder than ever.

***

"See? I knew I did something right by buying you condoms!" Tommy declared waving the fork he was holding at his twin brother before resuming beating the eggs for the omelet he was planning to cook. Kate choked on her wine, and turned her face to Billy, her grey blue eyes shining with tears.

"He bought you condoms?" She spluttered, and Billy shook his head, defeated.

"And I did the right thing! First they suck each other's soul through their mouths like dementors, and then they indulge in heavy petting on Teddy's couch. Fifty dollars that they do it before the end of the week end." Tommy declared, looking at the writer with a devilish smile.

"You're on. I say they do it by thursday." Kate said, and Billy made an outraged noise.

"Hey! Will you stop placing bets on my personal life?" He protested, and Kate lifted her glass to her lips, staring straight at him.

"Nope. It's way too funny." She retorted, and Billy gulped the rest of his wine.

"I'm tired of being the butt of the joke all the time." The writer whined. "I thought I was supposed to have a chill night with you two. I'm already stressed enough about the interview tomorrow..." He grabbed the bottle and poured himself another glass as Tommy took a knife and started slicing the vegetables on the kitchen plane. Kate reached for her best friend's hand.

"Again with that? Billy, we've been practicing. Besides, if you don't feel like answering a question, just say it. You have the right to refuse, and if the journalist is too insistent, I'll be there." Kate pointed out with confidence.

"I can also call David for a bit more safety." Tommy then declared, and Billy shivered.

"You won't call David." He declared. "I mean it, Tommy. I don't want to work with him." Tommy put his knife down and crossed his arms, making the sleeves of his grey t-shirt stretch around his biceps. Once again, Billy felt envious of his twin brother's muscles. He was not in bad shape, but Tommy seemed to get broader when he exercized, unlike Billy.

"Can you tell me what the guy did to you? He's always been sweet!" Tommy said, his tone full of reproach. "Sure, he can be a real pompous asshole sometimes, but he's always been kind and charming whenever you two interacted. So what's your deal, Kaplan?"

Billy took a sip of his drink and put the glass down, staring at his brother as a snarl formed on his lips. He did not even try to stop himself.

"My deal is that I'm tired of being the second choice, Tommy. The guys I meet think I'm you, and I'm sick of getting your crumbs." He fired. "David was in love with you. And when he realized he didn't stand a chance, surprise! He tried his luck with the gay twin. Well, the gay twin says 'no thank you'." It was the first time he admitted the reason behind him disliking David. Tommy's mouth fell open at that and he looked at Kate. Then at his brother.

"What? Seriously?" He asked, and his face fell when Billy stared straight at him with his jaw clenched. "Okay. Yeah, I understand now." He mumbled, his tone compassionate. "That explains all. And that is a bit creepy. Not the 'David being in love with me' part, but the 'guys trying to have sex with you because I'm your twin' part."

"And that's why I didn't go on a date with David, or with any other guy before him." Billy pointed out. "So I don't want David around me. Okay?" He growled and Tommy nodded, raising his hands in surrender.

"Okay." He muttered. He bit his lips and looked at Kate again, and the young woman made a little head gesture towards Billy. "I'm sorry Billy. I didn't know. I'll do as you said when I go to my next interview." Billy frowned and looked straight at his twin brother.

"What do you mean?" He asked, a bit suspicious. Tommy finished slicing the vegetables and put the knife down.

"I'm going to make an announcement. That if people see me with dark hair around town, it's you, and not me." He shrugged. "If I had known it was this serious, I wouldn't have joked around about our resemblance. I'm sorry." He turned around and dropped the vegetables in the bowl next to the sink before opening one of his cabinets, grabbing oil and vinegar. "You should have told me. It was really shitty of me, and I didn't even realize." Billy sighed and took another sip.

"Well, I could have said something instead of sulking about it. Don't beat yourself over it, Tommy." The writer declared, but Tommy turned around and leaned towards the counter, a scowl on his face.

"No, I should have known better. So next time, speak up, please." He demanded. Kate was feeling an argument coming, so she turned towards her best friend.

"So, Phyla apologized? What did she say?" She asked, changing subjects before the twins would start tearing at each other's throat. With Billy's stubbornness, and Tommy's tendency to blame himself over nothing, they would not make any progress if they started getting into a fight.

"That she was a real bitch. And I quote, by the way." Billy replied, focusing on her. Kate rose her glass, her best bitch face on display.

"Well, I'll drink to that. She really is a bitch." She pointed out. But Billy shook his head.

"Nah. She just wants to protect her brother." He denied.

"Like everyone would do." Tommy intervened quietly.

"Doesn't change the fact that she acted like a real asshole." Kate declared. "But at least she apologized. And Teddy told you he was more interested in you than your books." She said excitedly, before turning dead serious and turned towards Tommy. "Yeah, definitely Thursday." She insisted, and Tommy chuckled. Billy got up with a groan.

"I'm gonna leave you two and your bet. I gotta go to bed if I wanna be functional tomorrow."

"Remember to meet me at the _Buggle_ at nine." Kate said as she walked him to Tommy's front door. Billy kissed her cheek and nodded.

"Good night Kate."

***

Billy was freaking out. He was sitting in Eddie Brock's office, desperately alone. Kate was late, and he was starting to regret having dressed himself up. He felt constricted and in need for air. He jumped on his chair when the door behind him opened and a ginger haired man in his early fifties entered the office.

"Ah! Mister Kaplan! Sorry, the coffee machine is a bit stubborn today. I hope I didn't keep you waiting. We'll have to make this quick, I'm not really a literature journalist, but Brenda is on maternity leave and I'm the only one available. Will this be a problem?" He was speaking too fast, and Billy had to focus hard to understand what he was saying.

"Uh... Sure." He said hesitantly, and Eddy grabbed a pen and a sheet of paper.

"So mister Kaplan, how did it feel when you learned that your books were the number one of the best sellers in fantasy and science fiction?" The journalist asked flatly, eyes never leaving the sheet of paper and taking a sip of his coffee. Billy went rigid, and he rubbed his hands on his pants to get rid of the sweat that was gathering on his palms. He thought for a second, trying to form an intelligible answer in his head, when Eddy rose his head, his brow furrowed. "So? Excuse me to repeat myself, but I have to make this quick, I have an article to write about the fire department." Billy grimaced and took a deep breath as Eddy frowned and looked back at the sheet of paper.

"It felt strange." He finally answered. Then panic rose inside him when Eddy started taking notes. "I mean, there are so many good writers, so it's very validating." He added, feeling instantly lame under the journalist's eyes.

"Do you think your books would have gotten that much recognition without your twin brother?" Eddy then asked, and something cold and heavy settled in the pit of Billy's stomach. "It was a nice publicity for you to have Tommy Shepherd talk about your books on T.V. I mean, he's the most popular male model nowadays, so was it a way to use his fame to get a boost yourself?"

Billy opened his mouth. Two questions in, and it was already a nightmare. He felt his throat go narrow, and was about to lose it a little when the door opened again.

"Excuse me! I got stuck in the traffic." David declared before sitting down next to Billy, whose eyebrows shot up a little bit. The journalist looked at him with an outraged expression on his face.

"And who the hell are you?" He asked, just as David fished a card in the inside pocket of his blazer.

"David Alleyne. I'm Mr Kaplan's agent, nice to meet you." David introduced himself, sitting upright in his chair. "Now that I'm here, you can proceed. We're in a bit of a hurry, we have a lot of interviews today." Eddy seemed completely confused for a moment, but he quickly regained composure. Billy had his eyes fixed on David, feeling like everything was falling apprt. And why was he lying? Billy only had an interview with them.

"So... Yeah, don't you think your brother is the reason why your books are selling well now that he mentioned them on T.V?" Eddy asked again, but he barely had the time to ask his question that David intervened again.

"Every questions about Mr Kaplan's brother or personal life will not be answered. The main topic of this interview was supposed to be his work, and nothing else. Not the way he decides to advertise it." Billy grimaced at that and fought the urge to strangle David. His reply made it sound like Billy had actually asked Tommy to talk about him.

"Ah, can I quote you mister Allan?" Eddy asked, leaning forward with eyes glistening.

"It's Alleyne, and no. You can't." David stated coldly. Eddy chuckled and looked down at his sheet of paper.

"Well, I don't need a quote. You basically gave me the answer to that question anyway."

"Sure. But if you look at Mr Shepherd's interview closely, you'll see he only mentions a twin brother who is a writer. He never gives a name, nor the titles of Mr Kaplan's books. I know your boss very well, and I'm sure Jameson will be delighted to know you wrote an article without verifying your sources." Billy gaped at that. David kept his chocolate brown eyes on Eddy, and his jaw clenched. "So, now, if you don't have any relevant questions, we're going to leave. As I said earlier, we have a lot of interviews today." Eddy completely deflated and started babbling. David checked the buttons of his sleeve and looked at his watch. He then got up and looked at Billy. "Okay then. Mr Kaplan will be in touch. Call me whenever a competent journalist is available. You have my card."

And they exited Eddy Brock's office, Billy's head swimming as he failed to comprehend what had just happened. David was already on the phone, and judging by the tone of his voice, he was furious. He hung up and shoved his phone back in the inside pocket of his jacket and exhaled loudly.

"Of all the newspapers that asked for an interview, Kate needed to be here the most. The _Daily Buggle_ is just a bunch of rats dying to write a story." He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Well, at least they're forced to reschedule now. Are you okay?" Billy took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself before making a scene in the middle of the street.

"If the journalist writes an article about how I used my brother's fame to get on top, I'm going to murder you David." He declared. "You basically told him so! Fuck, this is exactly why I don't want to work with you! Where's Kate? She better have a serious reason for not being here!" David simply waited patiently for him to stop ranting, frowning and when Billy finally went silent, he licked his lips.

"You're welcome." He said. "I didn't have to come this morning, and yet I did. You could try and be grateful, don't you think? What were you going to say to Brock? So yes, I may have let him believe you actually used Tommy's fame to get a bit of recognition as well, but we won the argument. Now they know they'll have to work on a serious interview if they want to see you again. We won." Billy rose his hands on each sides of his head before letting them fall with a snarl.

"This is not about winning, David! It's about what I stand for! I don't want my readers to think I used Tommy! If I ever get famous, it will be because of my books, and not because of my twin brother!" He fished his phone in his pocket and dialed Kate's number. The young woman did not answer.

"Kate, I'm so going to kick your ass. That's it, that's the message." Billy shouted in her voicemail, ignoring the people that turned around to look at him. David grimaced as the writer pushed his phone back in his pocket. "Will you finally tell me why you're here and not Kate?" Billy hissed. "I don't like the way you're forcing yourself into my life." David's eyes went wide at that.

"Billy..." He started, his tone hesitant for the first time since Billy met him.

"I'm not Tommy! I'll never be Tommy! You and me? Never gonna happen. I have someone, and I want you to stop hitting on me, or try to seduce me." The writer insisted, and people stopped, alarmed. David paled a little bit, his lips becoming a thin line as his dark eyes scanned Billy's face.

"I only came today because Tommy asked me. Kate got sick apparently. She has a fever, and she can't get out of bed." He declared quietly, visibly hurt. "I didn't mean... Uh. Never mind. I'm gonna leave. See you around. Or not." He finally said and walked away, leaving Billy alone on the sidewalk. When he disappeared at the corner of the street, Billy finally relaxed, exhaling loudly. He then hailed a taxi, and climbed in, fuming.

***

Teddy was sitting in Steve's office, along with Karolina, America, Nate and Eli. Steve was standing behind his desk, arms crossed with a displeased face, and the chief Fury was sitting in his chair, his hands joined in an upturned V.

"There will be no fighting in my department." Fury stated in a very calm voice. But his tone still sounded threatening. "The journalists are giving us a bad name enough as it is, and the knot of the problem is this station. You're barely functional, your interventions are messy, and now you pick up fights with your colleagues? I really tried to be comprehensive, but I've had enough." The firefighters exchanged looks, and Steve clenched his jaw. They remained silent as Fury looked at each of them with his single eye. He took a pile of newspaper and spread them over the plane of the desk. "The front page. All of your shenanigans made it to the front page ever since your station reopened. I can't allow it anymore. We're the New York fire department. We work together, we do not assault our colleagues, even if we dislike them."

"With all due respect, sir, Summers and Howlett started it." Karolina said, her tone firm but respectful. "And it was one of us that ended with a black eye. Not one of them." Fury slammed his hand flat on the desk, making all of them jump with surprise.

"There is no 'one of us' and no 'one of them'! You're part of the same department, and inner fights will not be tolerated. Which is why I decided to make some changes. As of today, Captain Rogers will be replaced as the head of this station." They all started to protest, but Steve remained silent. "I don't think you understand. This is not a proposition." Fury shouted, making them go quiet. "And he will take a few weeks off. It was obviously too soon for him to regain his place."

"What? No!" Eli protested, and Fury turned his face towards him.

"You've heard me, Bradley. This takes place immediately. Now, I need to inform you that Summers decided to fill a complaint against all of you. He mentioned that Chavez used force against Howlett. For that, you're suspended." He informed the young woman who went bright red.

"That's unfair! Logan started it!" She thundered, but Nate put a hand on her shoulder, staring severely at her. "Stop looking at me like that! All I did was merely holding him back! Scott punched Teddy in the face, and that is going to be ignored?" The young woman asked, outraged.

"Silence!" Fury commanded. "This brings me to the next declaration. Altman, I see your bruise is healing. That's good. Now, you need to tell me if you wish to fill a complaint against Summers for what he did." He asked, his tone sharp, like a warning. Teddy breathed in through his nose. His choice was going to be decisive for what was next. But Scott and Logan had managed to get Steve and America suspended. He looked at his former Captain, and then at the young woman. He then looked back at Fury, resolve burning in his eyes.

"Yes. I wish to fill a complaint." He decided. He rubbed his arms, feeling cold. Fury frowned slightly.

"You realize you won't be able to take it back?" He asked, as if trying to dissuade the young man. Teddy crossed his arms and challenged Fury with his eyes, shivering.

"I got punched in the face." He simply stated, and Fury nodded.

"Fine. Now, in regards of the complaint filled against you, you're all forbidden to go on any intervention until I say otherwise. So truck washing, maintenance of the equipments and so on. Any questions?"

"You're letting Howlett get away with what he did?" Karolina fired, her tone acid. Fury huffed angrily.

"Howlett didn't do anything." He retorted.

"Yeah, except provoking us." Nate remarked. "And insult Lieutenant Barnes..." He added with disgust.

"That's out of the point." Fury declared.

"So, who's the new Captain?" Eli asked.

"You'll see soon enough." Fury stated. They all went silent after that, and the Chief waited to see if any of them would add something. "Okay. That'll be all. Altman, you'll come by my office tomorrow for the complaint. Chavez, you can go home. Rogers, a word." He commanded, and closed the door behind them as they all left. The little group gathered in the "living room". It was only after they all sat down that Karolina choked and started crying, surprising everyone.

"Hey! It's okay..." America muttered, patting the other young woman on the shoulder. She was shaking with fury, but did her best to contain herself.

"No it's not!" Karolina growled, and looked at them all with burning anger. "That's not fair! So basically, he punishes us for being attacked? What the fuck?" She sobbed and wiped her cheeks.

"They will not get away that easily. I still have my complaint to fill." Teddy groaned. He was shaking with anger as well, and his eyes were prickling, but he refused to cry. He sniffed and got up before walking towards the pot of coffee. He saw that it was empty and he grimaced, a bit nauseous. "Better move. Before Fury decides to suspend us all."

His colleagues agreed, and got up. America clenched her jaw and followed them out of the room.

"I'll help you pack up." Nate proposed, and she nodded stiffly. When they were done, they all walked her to the exit.

"Text us." Eli demanded, but America snorted.

"I'll go to the gym first. I need to hit something. There's a picture of Fury in the news, right?" She asked, her tone flat. They exchanged looks and looked at her, confused. "I'm going to stick it on the punching bag." She declared, and for the first time since they got in Steve's office, they smiled. America did as well and squinted. "Come visit me. I don't know how long I'll be suspended."

"I'll tell you what, poker night at mine this week end." Eli said. "And we can go grab a drink after today's shift." America nodded.

"See you all tonight then."

And she left without looking back. The firefighters went back inside, just as Steve exited his office, looking distraught, but he instantly put on a brave face in front of his teammates. But as he saw them look at him, his face fell, and bitter tears swelled in is eyes. Karolina choked again, and Teddy looked down. Eli took a step forward and put a hand on Steve's shoulder. Nate shoved his thumbs in his belt loops, grimacing awkwardly.

"It's okay guys..." Steve said, voice thick. But he sounded fake. "It's okay..."

"It's not." Teddy suddenly growled. "They're going to pay for this. I swear to you."

***

Teddy went back to his apartment feeling miserable. Steve Rogers had been suspended. Of course, the six beers he had decided to take earlier at the bar did not improve his state of mind. He felt buzzed, but not the good kind of buzzed. The young man padded into his living room and dropped down on his couch, groaning. He needed a distraction. He went to take a hot shower, rolling his shoulders as the water slowly eased the tension between them. When he went back to the living room, Phyla was there, unpacking the take out food she had gone to buy.

"Wow. You look like shit! What happened? Did Greg visit when I wasn't here?" She suddenly asked, jumping to her feet. Teddy snorted.

"Nope. But Steve has been suspended, and America as well." He grumbled. "And I'm going to fill a complaint against Scott for the black eye." He declared. He then sat back down on his couch. "And we have a new Captain. And the worst thing, she comes from their station. Emma Frost. Yay." He finished with a flat tone. Phyla's eyes went wider and wider as he told his story.

"Okay. I'm going back to Jersey." She whispered.

"It's not funny, Phyla!" Teddy growled, and his sister's features fell. She scratched her cheek and nodded.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

They both went silent after that, and Teddy started munching on the burgers Phyla had bought. He could not chase the smirk Emma Frost had thrown their way when she had arrived and claimed Steve's office. It made his skin crawl. He was feeling rather nauseous actually.

No. He was going to be sick.

With a pang of panic, Teddy threw the burger on the table and ran all the way to the bathroom before kneeling down in front of the toilet seat and emptying his stomach. Phyla entered has he straightened, wiping the tears that had escaped his eyes. His older sister grimaced and took a step towards him. She flushed the toilets and knelt next to him.

"God, you've been drinking!" She stated, putting a hand on his sweaty face. Her lips went thin. "And you've got a fever." She declared. Teddy turned his head towards her.

"No." He retorted and Phyla's eyes went menacing.

"Hell yes you do!"

"No I don't! I gotta see Fury tomorrow! I can't be..." Teddy went green and shoved his head down the toilets. Phyla jerked away, scrunching her nose with disgust.

"Well, it seems like a nice case of stomach flu." The young woman groaned. "We'll go see a doctor tomorrow. After you see Fury." She specified when Teddy rose his head to look at her. "Just make sure you don't throw up all over him."

When Teddy's stomach calmed down, He came down, shaking like a leaf, and Phyla threw a blanket over his shoulder. She then took her phone as her brother laid down on the couch with a bucket nearby, the T.V playing _Up_.

The young woman dialed a number and waited patiently until her Chief picked up.

"Good evening sir. Yeah, I'm fine. Yes, the problem is settled. But I need a few more days. My brother is sick. Really? Thank you. I'll make it up to you as soon as I get back to Jersey. good evening sir. Thank you so much."

***

"Don't give me that look! I told you I'm sorry already!" Billy groaned as Tommy stared at him, his green eyes full of disappointment. "David is a big boy, he'll come around." He grunted as a very pale Kate slid in the couch next to him.

"How come I'm the only one who's sick?" She whined, a violent shiver seizing her. Billy smiled and handed her the bowl of soup. A violent shiver ran through the young woman's body again and she went alarmingly pale. "Get that away from me!" She begged, turning her head with a hand over her nose. "That's not fair." She complained.

"If that makes you feel better, I talked to Teddy on the phone this morning before he had to leave to see his chief, and he is sick as well. There's an outbreak of stomach flu apparently. So I suspect a lot of people are going to be throwing up all over the city." Billy replied, and instantly regretted it when Kate shot up from the couch and ran to the bathroom. Tommy huffed and crossed his arms. Billy sighed and ran a hand on his face. "Will you stop acting like I stole your favorite toy?" He asked his twin brother.

"Not until you call David to apologize." Tommy declared coldly. "You've been harsh, he didn't deserve that. Especially after he got you out of the shit you were in." Billy opened his mouth to protest and went bright red. "I talked to him about this. And he really feels bad about all this. The rejection, he can cope with, but the fact that you rubbed his former feelings for me in his face really fucked him up. He told me he really likes you for who you are, and not because you look like me. He's disappointed you have a boyfriend though. But not surprised."

Billy did not know what to answer to that. Sure, he felt bad for what he had done to David now, but he still did not like him. So he tried to change the subject.

"You did not seem surprised to learn he was in love with you." The writer grumbled, and his twin brother cocked an eyebrow to show he was not fooled by his poor attempt.

"He asked me out the same day we met. So no. Now please call him." Tommy demanded severely, and went to see if Kate was okay. Billy made a sulky face and took his phone. He glanced at the screen and finally dialed the number, sighing loudly. David picked up quickly for someone who was always busy.

"Hi, Billy." He said, and his tone was far from broken, Billy thought grimly. But he took a deep breath.

"Hey. I just called to apologize for what I said yesterday. I've been mean to you." The writer said in an even voice.

"Already forgotten. I can't stop at every mean comment thrown my way. Otherwise I'd be a lousy agent, don't you think?" David said with a hint of laughter in his voice. "I sincerely hope you understand I didn't mean to make you feel like I was only into you because you look like Tommy. I understand it must be hard, and it was not my intention. I'm not really subtle when it comes to flirting, but I won't do it anymore. Tommy told me about Teddy, and whomever this Teddy is, I can tell he's a lucky guy."

"Yeah..." Billy shivered, a wave of disgust washing over him. He could not help it. David really made his skin crawl. But he had to make it up to him, he had gone overboard after the aborted interview. And even if he did not approve of David basically admitting he had used his brother to gain a bit of fame, he had really pulled him out of a bad situation. "I've thought about your proposition. Kate is sick, and she won't be able to come to the others interviews. I'm ready to give you a chance, but only if you do as I say. And only if you don't flirt. If you accept these conditions, then I might ask to hire you as my agent." He was so going to regret this.

"Okay." David replied, surprising him. "I've never worked with a writer before. And I love a challenge. I'm ready to agree with each and every of your requests."

"Seriously?" Billy asked with disbelief. "No hidden trap? No decisions taken without my consent?"

"Hell no. Kate is your publisher, and seriously? She's scary. Working with you means working with her as well, and I seriously don't want her on my case. We'll schedule a meeting at her office to talk about this. Until then, keep writing, Billy. Because I really want to know what happens next." Billy's eyes went wide and he started babbling.

"What... You... No. You read my books?"

"Tommy wouldn't shut up about them. Of course I did."

"Okay then. Don't make me regret this, David." He mumbled.

"I'll try my best." David assured. "Tell Kate to call me. I hope she'll be better soon."

"Alright. Goodbye, David." Billy said and hung up. Tommy and Kate came back, the young man with his hand in the small of Kate's back. She looked exhausted, and her eyes were shining with tears.

"How are you two immune to this? Seriously! I spend more time with the two of you than any other people in my entourage. Why didn't you catch it?" She asked weakly.

"Who says we're not coming down with it?" Tommy shrugged. He guided her to the couch and wrapped a blanket around her. "There you go." He said softly, before kissing her nose. It made something stir in Billy's stomach. Should he not go to take care of Teddy like Tommy did with Kate? He had already barged in Teddy's apartment after he got his black eye. Surely going there because he was sick was going to make him look clingy. He groaned and rubbed his face. He had not dated since High School, and everything was much easier back then. It was only about stealing kisses when no one was around, holding hands, and none of them had their own apartments, and he did not have to wonder if what he was doing was okay or not.

Asking Teddy would not hurt, right? And if he said no, that would only mean he did not feel like seeing Billy. Or that he wanted him to not make a habit of running to him every time something happened, the writer thought as he grabbed his phone again. But then, Phyla was there. So Teddy had someone to take care of him. Billy sighed and decided to just send a text.

  
**Me:** So, are you feeling better? Today's been hell, Kate's sick as well. I've spent the day babysitting her while Tommy was at work.   
**Teddy:** Not really. I can't even bear the thought of food. I'm sorry to hear that. Is she okay? Did she give you grief? See? You'd totally make an awesome nurse.   
**Me:** She's been making trips to the bathroom all day long. That's why it's been hell. I can't really stand when people throw up, so I had to power through it while holding her hair. Sorry for the graphic details ^^'''. So I guess I couldn't be that amazing as a nurse seeing I feel sick whenever someone is sick next to me.   
**Teddy:** Yeah, and still you stayed with her and took care of her. I'd have loved that. You did an awesome job last time ;)   
**Me:** You sir have a fetish :p   
**Teddy:** I must admit you'd look crazy good wearing scrubs, so yeah, sorry, I'm not sorry about it.

Teddy had put an angel emoji at the end of his text, and that made Billy chuckle quietly. He eyed Tommy and Kate on the couch, and saw that the young woman had snuggled against Tommy while he was stroking her hair and mumbling about one thing or another. The writer sighed with affection as Kate climbed into Tommy's lap and put her head in his shoulder. His twin brother kissed her nose again, making her smile. And Billy felt very envious all of the sudden. His phone beeped again and Billy opened the text.

**Teddy:** So, you can refuse, but Phyla is out for the night, she didn't tell me where she went, and when she would be back. Wanna come over? You don't have to, since I'm biohazard and everything, but I thought it'd be nice to be just the two of us seeing we can't go on a date.

And then a few seconds later, another text appeared on Billy's screen, and it made him chuckle again.

  
**Teddy:** Wow, "Phyla out" and "just the two of us" in the same text. I kinda sound like I'm trying to lure you into sex. I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention, and I understand you'd say no after that.   
**Me:** And I thought I was the most awkward guy on the planet. I'm on my way.

"Are you guys going to be okay? I'm going to Teddy's." Billy announced, and saw Kate and Tommy were looking at him with narrow eyes.

"What day is it today?" Kate asked, and Billy rolled his eyes. Tommy clenched is jaw and locked eyes with his twin brother.

"Wednesday. Better keep it in your pants, Kaplan."

"Oh, no. Please, get it out." Kate chuckled, and Billy's face went very serious.

"How about I cook you a nice burger with extra cheese, onions, and dripping with grease Kate?" He asked, and smirked when his best friend's face turned ashen and she jumped from Tommy's lap to run into the bathroom. Tommy grimaced, his green eyes following the young woman as she disappeared down the hallway of his apartment.

"You fight dirty, bro." He muttered, turning his face back to Billy who did his best to look innocent.

"Yes. Remember that the next time you want to make fun of me." The writer said with a shit eating grin. He then grabbed his coat and scarf and walked towards the door. "See you later Kate!" He called.

"Asshole!" Kate replied with a gurgle.

***

Teddy ran down the stairs, shirtless and his hair still wet from the shower he had just been taking. He shivered violently as the cold air hit his skin. He opened the door and slipped his marine blue hoodie on. Billy's eyes went a bit wide when he saw the fireman half naked, and the flash of hunger that passed in his eyes made Teddy shiver slightly. But Billy went dead serious and his a scowl suddenly painted his features.

"Is it seriously all you're wearing?" He asked. His eyes dropped to look at Teddy's feet, which were bare. "Teddy, you're sick." He reminded the fireman, who scratched the back of his head as a faint blush covered his cheeks.

"Sorry. I heard the doorbell and I didn't want to keep you waiting. Just... Let me go get dressed properly. Come in." He said and stepped aside so that the writer could come in. Billy moved towards the living room, shedding his coat and unwinding his scarf. Teddy smiled and went upstairs. He entered his room and and removed his hoodie, taking a long sleeved henley and putting it on before taking a Knicks sweatshirt. The young man sat on the bed and slipped a thick pair of socks on, shoving the bottom of his sweatpants inside them before getting up.

He took a look in the mirror and grimaced. He did not look dashing. He was as pale as a ghost, and his eyes were slightly red-rimmed. His hair was messy, and two dark circles were spreading under his eyes, but at least, the bruise around his right eye was not as purple as it was two days before.

Then the bulge in his pants caught his attention and he made a face. Going commando had not been a good idea. But he had no clean underwear, and the machine was still running. He bit his lips and stole a glance towards the door. Maybe Billy would not notice, he thought with a sigh, and pulled the sweater over his head.

When he came back downstairs, Teddy saw Billy looking through his shelf with an expression of wonder on his face. He was caressing the spine of each books as he read their title, his long and lean fingers trailing over them as if they were precious relics, and Teddy smiled dearly. He kept watching Billy as he looked through his books, until the writer turned his head towards him, blushing when he realized Teddy was looking at him.

"Sorry. I got curious." He said, letting his hand fall by his side.

"A writer who likes books. How shocking." Teddy joked, as a shiver ran up his spine, he crossed his arms over his chest, making his biceps bulge under his sweater sleeves. Billy smiled shyly and looked back at the shelf.

"So you're a Knicks fan? Proud New Yorker, it seems." He thought out loud, as Teddy moved closer. "And you read Descartes." He added, his hand trailing once again over the books. " _Passions of the Soul_... _Metaphysical Meditations_..." Billy read out loud.

"Yeah, proud New Yorker." Teddy chuckled. "I read Descartes when I was attending College. I like his work, Even though he's not my favorite, obviously." Teddy revealed, wrapping his arms around Billy from behind. "They were my mother's favorite books. She had all sorts of philosophy works in her personal library, as she liked to call it. But these two ones were always on her bedside cabinet." He declared with a loving smile. Another shiver ran up his spine and he frowned, clenching his jaw. His head started swimming and he bit his lips as a wave of nausea twisted his inside. "Uh... Just a sec." He groaned, and let go of the writer, who made a surprised face as he ran towards the bathroom. Billy watched him go and stayed there in shock. He then followed Teddy as he knelt down in front of the toilet seat. Billy felt cold sweat gather at the small of his back as he clenched his jaw and put a soothing hand between Teddy's shoulder blades. When the fireman finished, He straightened and grimaced, wiping his eyes. "Ugh... You didn't have to stay." He mumbled weakly. "You told me it makes you uncomfortable." Billy smiled painfully.

"I'm not going to cower away. You need to be taken care of." He said, a bit pale, and Teddy nodded, getting up weakly. "Do you want me to cook you something? Or make some tea..." The writer proposed, getting up as well, but the fireman shook his head.

"The mere idea of swallowing something makes me feel nauseous." He revealed, before rinsing his mouth in the sink. "But I wouldn't say no to a cuddling session." He joked, and that made Billy huff. Images of Tommy and Kate snuggling on his twin brother's couch were playing in his mind, and, truly, Kate seemed to feel a bit better in Tommy's arms, probably because Tommy kept her distracted enough so she would not think about how sick she was feeling.

"Do you have a 'feel good' movie? We could watch it and proceed to said cuddling?" The writer asked, as Teddy was brushing his teeth while pinching his nose. It was weird, and it made Billy want to laugh, but he did not say anything. Teddy rinsed his mouth again, a faint blush creeping on his cheeks.

" _Princess Bride_. Don't laugh." The fireman mumbled, and Billy rolled his eyes.

"What makes you think I would laugh? Besides, I love that movie as well." The young man walked out of the bathroom, Teddy on his heels. When they reached the living room, Billy checked around him. He spotted a bright green blanket and grabbed it, before he rearranged the throw pillows on the couch to make a cosy looking nest. Teddy kept his eyes on him, his face filling with affection. On an impulse, he put a hand on the writer's wrist, stopping him. Billy rose his eyes towards him, raising his eyebrows questioningly. Teddy licked his lips.

"I really want to kiss you right now. But you might get sick." He muttered with regret. Billy's eyes were bright, he thought, and there was affection in them. Teddy's heart fluttered as he lost himself in the brown irises flecked with gold. "Just... Know that I really want to, okay? Thank you for taking care of me." And Billy let out a little sigh. He leaned up and placed a very little kiss on Teddy's mouth, making the fireman freeze, and move back a few inches. Disbelief painted his features, and he laughed quietly. "If you catch it, I'm not responsible."

"Nah. It will all be my fault." Billy confirmed, and led Teddy to the couch. "But I wouldn't worry. Tommy and I have been spending all of our time with Kate, and we didn't catch anything. She really chose the right moment to get sick." He sighed. "Now I have to work with someone I don't particularly like, but who's the only one I found in my entourage that could do it on such short notice."

"Oh, right! The Interview!" Teddy remembered as he sat down among the pillows. "How did it go?" He asked, grabbing the remote of the T.V and turning Netflix on. Billy sat down next to him and threw the green blanket over his lap.

"I only replied to one question before it turned into my very personal Hell." The writer confessed, and Teddy made a sorry face, before he pulled the young man close and pressed him against his side. He lifted the blanket so Billy could snuggle against him before putting it down over the two of them.

"Remember what I said? You can use my shoulder to cry on." The fireman mumbled.

"Because that's what boyfriends are for, right?" Billy repeated his words again, a bright smile blossoming on his lips.

"Exactly." Teddy confirmed, before pressing play on the remote, and wrapping his right arm around Billy's shoulders, letting the warmth settle between them.

***

Teddy had his eyes glued to the screen as Inigo and Westley were having their amazing sword fight. At some point, the fireman had grabbed Billy's hand to lace their fingers together. He was feeling a bit too hot now, and sweat was starting to form on his forehead. He let out a little gasp, and shifted unconsciously.

"Are you okay?" Billy asked softly, and frowned. He lifted a hand to put in on the fireman's brow and his face grew more concerned. "I think you have a fever." He muttered. Teddy smiled weakly, and pulled himself away from the writer.

"I need to take this sweatshirt off." He mumbled. "Before I burn alive." Billy studied him for a second, and nodded hesitantly. Teddy grabbed the hem of the sweatshirt and pulled it over his head in a swift motion, before putting it aside. His henley was clinging to his skin, and he pulled on it a little, readjusting himself against the pillows. He looked at Billy questioningly when he saw the other young man settle back against the couch next to him. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked, scratching the back of his neck, and making the muscles in his arms roll under the sleeve of the henley.

"No. But I won't snuggle against you while you're feeling this hot. It won't be comfortable for you." Billy pointed out. Teddy watched him get up. "I'm going to get some water for you. Stay here." He said, and moved to the kitchen, as Teddy smiled. When the writer came back with the bottle, the fireman pulled him close and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

"Thanks for taking care of me." He whispered, biting his bottom lip. Teddy saw Billy's eyes dart down to his mouth, and hunger flashed in them once again. But he quickly regained countenance and gave the bottle to the fireman. Their hands brushed when Teddy took it, and he felt a wave of heat curl inside his belly. He looked at their joined hands, the way Billy's long and delicate fingers curled around the plastic, and the way his own, broader hand almost covered the writer's. Teddy looked up and his breath got caught in his throat when his eyes locked with Billy's.

The writer looked beautiful. Teddy did not know if it was the fever or simply the wave of desire that was swelling and swelling in his body, but the way Billy was looking at him in this very moment, with bright hooded brown eyes full of hunger, a hunger he had never seen before, like all he wanted right now was Teddy, and nothing else, not like Greg whose eyes always remained cold when he used to come to him made Teddy's cock slowly start to stir in his sweatpants.

The fireman's grip went tighter around Billy's hand and the bottle. He swallowed thickly as the writer took a step towards him, and Teddy's other hand flew up to settle on his hip, his thumb slipping under the hem of the writer's hoodie to find the warm and soft skin underneath.

"Billy..." He let out quietly, and the writer climbed in his lap, straddling him before catching his lips in a heated kiss. Teddy groaned and wrapped his arms around the other young man's slim waist, pulling him closer, until their chests were touching. He opened his mouth and let Billy lick his way further in, letting his tongue glide against the writer's before pulling back and suck gently on his bottom lip.

Teddy was feeling hot, but this time he was sure it was not the fever. His cock twitched and his hands traveled down to settle on Billy's buttocks, that were round and firm. He made a little noise from the back of his throat, and pulled the young man closer, their groins touching over the blanket. And there, right there, the faint feeling of Billy's hardness straining against his jeans, barely noticeable against the thick material of the blanket, but Teddy knew. Billy's hand traveled up his shoulders to the sides of his neck and he kissed deeper, as if he wanted to drink Teddy dry, making little needy sounds.

They broke apart to breathe and Teddy looked down to see the blanket hid nothing from his state, and instantly regretting the fact he was not wearing any underwear. But his sense of modesty faded away when he saw that Billy was in the same state. Billy still had his hands on his neck, and he was panting. Teddy studied him for a second before leaning up again just as Billy leaned down and they started kissing again. But this time, the writer reached down and pulled the blanket off Teddy's lap so their groin could come in contact. And he started grinding.

Teddy's head rolled back and he let a low moan escape his mouth. Billy dropped his forehead against his, his hips stopped and he let out a small chuckle.

"Hum... I'm sorry. Got carried away." The writer whispered, his breath ghosting over the fireman's lips. Teddy straightened as Billy pulled back slowly. He looked at the other young man, who was very red. He looked at Teddy with a shy smile.

"Uh, it's okay... I mean... I kinda wanted it?" The fireman attempted. "You didn't do anything wrong." He assured, and Billy smile grew wider. Teddy suddenly remembered his hands were on the writer's ass, and he instantly put them back on his hips. "I... Uh, got carried away as well." The fireman laughed. He looked at Billy with his chalcedony blue eyes, and Billy rolled off of him, and Teddy felt a bit disappointed, but he kept quiet. Billy snuggled against him, unable to hold back the faint laughter that was escaping his mouth.

"Just so you know, I really want to... Well, do it. But I'd rather we wait until you're feeling better. It's stupid, but I'd feel like I'm taking advantage of your weakness, and that's not something I want, and doing that while you're sick could make us regret it, so I think we should wait. I'm not a tease, I swear, I know you must think I am now, but I assure you I'm not. It's just..."

"Chill, Billy, you're babbling." Teddy cut him short with a kind smile. "It's okay. I can wait. And you're right. We should not do it while I'm sick. I could end up throwing up in the middle of things, and I frankly don't want that." He tried to joke, before a violent shiver seized him and Billy made a disgusted noise. He grabbed his sweater and put it back on. He then looked at the writer and pulled the blanket back to cover himself, his cock softening. "So... can we still cuddle?" He asked shyly, and Billy nodded, closing the small space between him and the fireman before curling against Teddy's side.

A few minutes after, Teddy was feeling warm again, and he let his head rest on top of Billy's as his arm pulled him closer. Billy suddenly giggled.

"What?" Teddy asked, his mouth stretching to form an amused smile.

"I just realized. I'm cuddling you, and you're all big and soft and comfy." Billy's laugh grew louder and louder.

"Yeah?" Teddy laughed as well, confused. Billy turned hid face towards him, eyes shining with mischief.

"You're a living Teddy Bear."

That statement tore a full bodied laugh from Teddy. They laughed together for a few minutes, until tears started streaming down their faces. And when the fireman calmed down enough to be able to speak, he looked at the writer, and with a very serious tone, he said:

"We were about to have sex just a few minutes ago, and now you're comparing me to a plushie. That's cute, and alarming."

"Shut up! I'm a writer. My brain doesn't work the same as everyone." Billy defended himself, elbowing the fireman gently.

"Clearly. But that's what I like about you, Billy." Teddy said, delighted to see Billy blush. The writer kissed him once, then twice.

"Hold on to your thought then. Because, as your boyfriend, you're going to see a lot more weird things." He said.

"And as your boyfriend, I Can't wait." Teddy replied, and kissed him once more before focusing back on the movie.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this has been sitting in my files for about a year now. I finally finished it.
> 
> I'm sorry for those of you who read this fic and had to wait such a long time for this chapter, I'm really sorry. I'd like to give a big shout out to Lielos, whose comment gave me the kick I needed to stop being afraid and start writing again. For that, thank you very much. I don't know where you are, but I hope you're doing well <3
> 
> As always a big thank you to Laura, my Beta, and female counterpart for her awesome work betaing this fic. And to Lisa my best friend, who lets me flood her inbox as always.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, and thanks if you stayed <3\. You're all awesome.
> 
> This chapter countains smut, so it's NSFW (you can skip the smut scene, it goes from "Unlocking the door proved itself difficult for Billy..." to "and it was only after very late that they fell asleep, curled around each other."
> 
> Enjoy your reading! =)

David was ruthless. Billy exited the building of the Pulse with wide eyes as David chuckled by his side. Billy was not as happy as the other young man though. David looked at him, his dark eyes scanning Billy's face.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, and Billy grimaced, before turning to face David.

"Okay... You know I agreed to work with you, but you seriously need to be a little more... Gentle with people. This journalist was far more nice than Brock. I mean, he only asked about my relationship with Tommy, not if I used him to get some free advertising." David had the decency of looking a bit awkward. Billy rubbed his face. He had once again dressed up, and even done his hair after Kate and David had insisted.

"I'm sorry Billy, I'm trying to do it your way, but sometimes it's hard... I'm not used to obeying. I make decisions, I don't wait for my clients to tell me what they wish to do." David said, making Billy frown.

"You realize this is exactly why I didn't want to work with you before? I mean, you decided to put a giant picture of Tommy in his underwear on Time Square without warning him. I don't want you to repeat that kind of stunt with me, what you told Brock the other day was enough to kickstart some rumors, and I really didn't need that."

After meeting Eddie Brock, and after they had stormed out of his office, he had published a ten line article about Billy. Thanks to the awful reputation of the Bugle, nobody had paid attention, but a few fans had sent emails to Billy, and to Kate asking for an explanation. Billy had been mortified at first, until David had swept in and threatened the Bugle that they were going to press charge for publishing an article with false accusations in it, and Brock had been forced to write another article with an apology at the end. All of that in a span of three days. And since Kate was still feeling quite sick, they had decided that David would cover for her until they arranged the meeting to talk about their partnership. Like a trial period of sorts.

"I'll try to do better." David promised. Billy nodded.

"Okay. Thank you." Billy said. He then turned around to hail a taxi. "I'll keep in touch. See you David!" He said and got inside the car that had stopped in front of him. The young man gave Kate's address to the driver and he fished his phone, checking his texts. Teddy had gone back to work the day before, and the new captain had decided to take her revenge by assigning him to fireman hell, which meant truck washing duty as well as night shifts until further notice. She had not taken well the fact that her husband had gotten suspended after he had punched Teddy in the face. So Teddy vented to Billy whenever he got the chance to use his phone.

  
**Teddy:** She made me scrub the toilets TWICE!  
  
**Teddy:** Apparently, washing the trucks was not enough. The toilets were not even dirty (thank God)  
  
**Teddy:** Do you think I can get suspended if I puke on her? Because it's about to happen if I don't get out of here.  
  
**Teddy:** Sorry!! Ignore my last message!! No more gross mentions of me puking. Starting now.  
  
**Teddy:** Huh, Phyla says hi.  


Billy chuckled quite heartily at Teddy's texts. He checked the time, and decided against texting back. Teddy was probably in his bed at the very moment. It was ten in the morning, which meant he had gotten off work an hour before. He felt a blush creep over his cheeks as he recalled the look Phyla had given the both of them when she had found them curled together on Teddy's couch, the morning after Billy went to take care of Teddy and his stomach flu. Teddy had nicely informed him that she would never leave them alone after this. And he had not been kidding. Phyla was even worse than Tommy when it came to teasing, but she only teased her brother, while winking profusely at Billy, who found himself choking on his own laughter more often than not.

And then the memories of that night came back. The feeling of Teddy's broad and warm hands on his ass, the desperate kissing that had ensued, and their bulges rubbing together... Billy straightened and coughed awkwardly, his pants tighter than before. He looked at the driver who did not seem to have noticed anything and he looked back at his phone.

**Me:** I hope you set your phone on silent. Wow, I thought Frost could not get any worse. I'm so sorry, Teddy. Do you still feel sick? You know Kate is still home, so maybe you should take your doctor's advice and rest a few more days. Anyway, sleep well, and see you this afternoon. Oh, and say hi to Phyla for me :).

Billy put his phone back in his pocket and sighed, trying to relax and failing, remembering what David had done during the interview. His phone buzzed and Billy jumped, pulling it out and looking at the screen.

**Teddy:** I'm feeling better, thanks :), and yes, definitely this afternoon. I wanted to take you out on a second 'official' date, but I didn't think of anything, so how do you feel about just staying in and cuddle?

That sent a warm and fuzzy feeling all along Billy's spine. Cuddle... Yes, that sounded like a nice idea. Especially if they ended up like last time. Their impromptu make out session had lit a spark inside Billy and now he could not help but think of Teddy and the way his muscles shifted under his shirt whenever he moved, of his gentle smiles and his chalcedony blue eyes sparkling when he looked at Billy. And the scorching way he had kissed him that night, as if he wanted to drink the writer dry. Billy shivered again, crossing his legs and feeling his cheeks heat up. He started typing.

  
**Me:** No problem, let me handle our next date. I'll find something that does not involve eating ice cream in winter :p  
  
**Teddy:** Like I said, no sense of adventure, mister writer  
  
**Me:** We'll see about that. See you later Teddy  
  
**Teddy:** Can't wait ;)  


***

"I need an awesome date idea." Billy declared before throwing his coat and scarf on Kate's couch. The young woman looked up from her laptop and closed it before she turned her swivel chair to face her best friend who sat in front of her. She then discarded her glasses and tied her hair into a bun. She was still pale, just like Teddy, but her eyes instantly went alert and she looked at her best friend.

"Okay. But first, here." She said before handing Billy her flashdrive. She had written 'B'S BOOK' on it in black and capital letters. "You'll find another page with my comments on a separate file." She informed, and her eyes had that glint they always got when she was reading her best friend's books. "I want to know what's next. So hurry up." She commanded. "Now, tell me why the Pulse sent me an apology email for you." She said firmly. "What happened this morning?" Her voice had the severe tone she used when she was at work and something went wrong. The tone that usually meant someone was going to be in trouble soon if the answer she got did not satisfy her.

"Uh... David kinda told the journalist that he was acting as a... Uh... I think he used 'nosy pencil pusher'." The writer muttered and grimaced when he saw Kate turn bright red.

"He WHAT?" The young woman erupted and grabbed her phone. Her thumbs flew over the screen as she started texting furiously. "Why did he do that?" She inquired. Billy rubbed his face, a loud sigh coming out of his mouth.

"Let's say he slipped up? The journalist asked me about my relationship with Tommy. Nothing rude, really, I mean, his previous question concerned my parents. But as soon as he mentioned Tommy, David lost it. I don't think he wanted to be rude, he only went a bit too far while trying to respect my choices." Billy could not believe himself. He was trying to defend David. The mere thought made him shudder. Kate frowned and let out a loud breath through her nose. She went back to texting and put the phone down.

"I'll have a word with him later today. His little stunts could be bad for your image. We can't afford that after what Brock wrote about you. I'm still considering getting him fired." The young woman growled. Billy's looked at his best friend, horrified.

"You wouldn't do that!" He protested and Kate sighed, slumping on herself slightly for a second. She put her glasses back on and sighed.

"You're right. I wouldn't. Even if he's a scumbag. Have you seen what he wrote about the fire department last week? After the accident in Soho?" She asked Billy, and the young man shook his head.

"You know I prefer to stay away from the Bugle." He reminded. Kate licked her lips and crossed her legs.

"Well, he wrote that the fire department cared more about the appearance of its firefighters than their ability to do their job or city security." Billy snorted.

"What? They're still stuck on those photos from last summer?" He asked grimly. A little before the station Teddy's was working at blew up, the Bugle had taken a few pictures of the firefighters washing the trucks. Nothing strange, except for the fact some of them were shirtless. And of course, it had degenerated into a water fight, leading to two photos of the lieutenant James Barnes, completely damp. The first was a 3/4 shot of the lieutenant removing his FDNY t-shirt, and the second a waist up shot of him pushing his long hair back in a tangle of wet locks with a bright smile on his face. Needless to say, the Bugle had sold a lot of papers that day. The photograph that took the pictures, Peter Parker, had quit his job the same day, which was a first in the history of the Bugle. It was either you got fired, or you were stuck for the rest of your life. It was also why the paper had an awful reputation. J. Jonah Jameson, the editor-in-chief was the devil himself. That was what his employees seemed to think at least. He would stop at nothing in order to publish a story.

"Well, their sales blew up that day. The pictures were gorgeous. That poor Parker guy however... He thought they were going to use the pictures to write something nice for once. Rumor has it that he envisioned an article about the frank camaraderie of the firefighters, and got an article about abs instead. What do you think? Of course they would press that issue. They know they sold paper writing about how hot they all are, so why would they not keep on going?" Kate shrugged. "Which is why I agree with David on what he thinks about that paper. They're just a bunch of rats..."

"Dying to write a story, I know." Billy completed and leaned back on the couch.

"Did you know they sent flowers to Barnes when he got hospitalized? With a card that read 'get well soon'." Kate told. And really, hospitalized was an euphemism. The lieutenant had lost an arm when the station blew up. The Bugle really had some nerve to send him flowers after what they did.

"They didn't!" He exclaimed, and Kate confirmed with a grimace. The young woman stretched and yawned.

"Anyway. Back to that awesome date idea you need." She said, her voice turning to the one of a business woman. "What's wrong with a regular date?" She asked, her grey blue eyes scanning the writer's face.

"Teddy took me to an ice cream parlor the other day." Billy replied shyly, a fond smile on his face. It had been unexpected, and perfect, even if he had not been really fond of eating ice cream in the cold.

"We're in November." Kate pointed out, disbelief tainting her voice. But a kind smile quickly replaced her slight scowl when she saw the way Billy was lost in his thought, with the little smile blossoming on his lips. "So you need something that will take him off guard." She thought out loud. Billy nodded.

"Something personal. He told me he used to go eat ice cream in winter with his mom. And I kinda want to do something like this." Kate chuckled and looked at her best friend.

"I'm not sure a therapy or a heart surgery is the best idea for a date, Billy." She joked and the young man sneered. "I'm joking. You could try something about the vikings? Your father used to tell you some bits of Norse mythology as bedtime stories, right?"

"Yes, but I really don't know what I could do with this. And offering to lend him a few of my Thor issues is not really an awesome date idea." He then caught the way Kate was smiling, it was her special smile. Tommy had the same when he was about to make a very inappropriate joke about Billy. He took a deep breath. "If you make one hammer joke, I'm going to strangle you." He warned, and relaxed with a satisfied smile when his best friend deflated. Kate pursed her lips.

"There's always music..." She started hesitantly, but Billy started shaking his head.

"Nu-uh. Not going there." He refused firmly. "I already told him about my disastrous theater experience. I won't sing, and I can't dance." He stated, crossing his arms. "Music is a no go for me. I'll leave that to Tommy. He's the one who got the gene, not me."

"Gene? Is it about your birth mother?" Kate asked softly, reaching out to put a hand on her best friend's forearm.

"Music is a no go." Billy repeated furiously, jerking away more harshly than he would have wanted. He froze and looked at Kate, the young woman staring at him with wide eyes full of apologies. "I prefer to leave all of that behind. I can't sing. And I don't want to." He insisted. Kate bit her lips and nodded in understanding. She was one of the few who knew about the twins' lineage, Tommy had told her after a few months of relationship despite the secrecy contract they had to sign with Mister Lensherr's lawyers. Billy had panicked, until Kate had promised she was not going to tell anyone. And then she had lectured her best friend about not telling her about this. "Sorry Kate. I didn't mean to yell at you." The young man apologized.

"Apologies accepted. And I'm sorry too. I know you're sensitive when it comes to that subject. I shouldn't have tried to push the matter." Kate replied. She leaned back in her chair and sat cross-legged. "I won't mention it again." The young woman sighed. "I think I know." She declared, and Billy perked up. Kate smiled brightly. "You told me your parents used to bring you and your brothers to an ice rink around Chanukah, right? I mean, Tommy loved it and we sometimes go there as well, I'm sure he'll accept to lend you his skates."

"Kate... That is actually a very good idea." The young man said, getting up, his face lighting up.

"Okay. It involves going out, and I know you prefer to stay in but..."

"No. I like this idea. Kate, you're amazing."

"I always tell her that." Tommy declared, stepping inside the living room in his sports clothes. He kissed the top of Kate's head tenderly and looked at Billy. "How did the interview go?"

"David insulted the journalist. I don't need to tell you that the rest of the interview has been one of the most awkward moment in my life." Billy replied with a little grimace. Tommy nodded with a little pout.

"It went well then." Billy's eyebrows shot up as Kate looked at Tommy who shrugged. The young man looked at the both of them, his green eyes twinkling with mischief. "Everybody in the business knows David doesn't minces words. Consider yourself lucky that he did not force you to get up and leave at once." He finished flatly. Kate grumbled something unintelligible that sounded like "Image... Bullshit... Hear from me..." and turned her head back to her computer. Tommy sighed and kissed the top of her head once more before going to the kitchen. Billy followed him. "So how's Teddy? Better?" Tommy asked with a hint of laughter in his voice. Billy shook his head and sat down by the counter.

"You and Kate both lost your bet if it's what you really want to ask. But yes, he feels better. Good enough to go back to work, against his doctor's advice of course." Billy replied.

"Ah, the boyfriend is a hothead, it seems." Tommy joked gently, making his twin brother chuckle. "Do I need to have the talk with him?"

Billy's chuckle escalated to a full fit of laughter and he looked at Tommy who cocked an eyebrow.

"What? The 'hurt my brother and I will destroy you' talk?" Billy asked gently, even though there were hints of mockery in his voice. "Come on Tommy. I think I can handle myself. But thanks." Tommy poured himself some juice, lifting a hand in surrender.

"Okay, okay. But you can only blame yourself if I stop caring now." He replied in a fake-hurt tone. "It's not like I'm your brother and shit..."

"Hey, relax. It was a joke. Thanks. I appreciate that." Billy interrupted him with a bright smile. "Are we about to hug right now? I feel like I need to hug you right now." He added, getting up and extending his arms. Tommy pretended to gag and took a step back.

"Stop that Kaplan, or I'll pour my drink on your head."

"Okay, okay." Billy's eyes were twinkling as he looked at his twin. And for the first time in a long time, he felt fantastic. He was starting to get successful with his books, he had money in the bank, he had his family, Kate, and now Teddy.

Things seemed to be looking up, and he was truly on board for that.

***

Teddy woke up at the sound of his alarm and he grunted, still feeling vaguely nauseous and tired. He quickly hit the button to stop his phone from blaring anymore notes from _Zombie_. He rubbed his eyes, his brain still full of the foggy images of the dream he had been having before waking up. He felt himself blush and rolled onto his stomach, feeling his erection dig into the mattress.

He finally sat up, trying to ignore his tented underwear and grabbed his phone. He started texting Billy to tell him he was awake and stretched, feeling a few of his joints pop in the process. He was still thinking about his dream when he hopped in the shower. And of Billy's big brown eyes, of his sweet and caring nature, of his adorable shyness and rambling mouth. His mouth.

Teddy switched the water to cold and hissed. But at least, it calmed him enough. A few minutes after, he stepped out, fully alert and shivering and quickly dried himself with a towel. He got dressed and grabbed his phone, seeing he had a text from Billy.

**Billy:** Brought you some ginger tea. I hope you like it :)

And Teddy felt something warm and fuzzy spread inside his chest. He looked at his reflection and chuckled. Who cared about a bunch of books? The man behind the writer was way more interesting. And Teddy was falling quickly.

And that felt amazing.

He went down the stairs, humming quietly and saw Phyla pacing in the living room while on the phone. She waved at him and went back to pacing and talking, and Teddy waved back. A few seconds and he understood that she was talking to her chief officer. He went to pour himself some coffee and sat down by the kitchen counter. After she was done with her phone call, his sister joined him.

"Hey there, you." She greeted him before kissing his cheek. "Did you sleep well?" Teddy smiled and nodded. The older woman studied him for a few seconds and nodded. "You're still a bit pale. Don't forget to take your medicine." Teddy chuckled.

"I will, don't worry. So, what did your chief tell you?" He asked. Phyla shrugged and started playing with her fingernails.

"Just keeping me updated. I told him I was coming back in two days, is it alright with you?" She looked at him in a way that made him understand she would stay if he asked her. And Teddy felt a wave of fondness and guilt wash over him. Phyla had turned her life over just to come reassure him after the Greg debacle, and he could not ask her to stay. Parts of him wanted her to, but she had her own life and he had no right to do so.

"Nah, it's fine. You already did so much by coming here, I'm gonna be okay." He stated. Phyla gave him a sharp nod.

"Just remember that I'm just a phone call away." She insisted and Teddy pulled her in a tight embrace.

"I know Phyla. Thank you." He said. She patted him on the back and broke their embrace. She got up and poured herself some coffee as well before sitting back down next to him.

"So... Billy and you seem to be... Progressing." She said, and Teddy could have sworn she was wearing a smug grin on her face. He huffed and looked down his cup, trying hard not to blush.

"You're the worst." He said, as Phyla started to giggle. "Seriously, Phyla. Enough with this." He grunted.

"Oh, it's my duty as your big sister to tease you when it comes to your boyfriend. Besides, you two are so much easy to taunt." Teddy was about to retort when the doorbell rang. He got up quickly, under the snickering of his big sister and went to open the door. Billy was standing there, holding a small box in his hands. Teddy's eyes roamed over him, over the way his woolen coat hugged his thin frame, highlighting the width of his shoulder, he noticed the way his hair was done and remembered the first time he had met him at the fire station opening. Billy's cheeks and ears were red from the cold and his eyes were a bit watery, but his smile was bright and kind. He licked his lips and Teddy followed the motion with his eyes before the young man cleared his throat. And if he was redder than before, none of them said anything.

"Hey." Teddy mumbled feeling his stomach tighten with nerves, the events of the other night playing back in his head.

"Hey." Billy replied, his voice raspier than ever. He stood there for a few seconds before thrusting the box towards him. "Uhm, ginger tea. To help with the nausea. Kate is practically bathing herself in it now." He said, and Teddy took the box without looking at it, and he shivered when their hands brushed.

"So, are you going to invite him in or will you just keep looking at him like you want to eat him up right here and now?" Phyla asked as she came into the doorway. "And here I thought you had manners." She added before stepping past her brother to greet the writer. "Hey there Billy. Come on in." She added loudly as Teddy seemed to wake up from his trance.

"Uh, yeah, sure, come on in." He repeated as Phyla pulled Billy inside, shaking her head. Teddy looked at the writer who was bright red and he felt himself blush as well as Phyla looked at them both, a mischievous grin forming on her lips.

"Sooooo, I'm gonna head out." She stated. "You two feel free to... Have some tea." She grabbed her black trench coat and quickly showed herself out as Teddy rubbed his face with a groan.

"I hate you!" He called out as the door slammed shut. "So... Yeah. Sorry about that." He then told the writer who was slowly unwinding his long red scarf, his cheeks still very red. "My sister... Well. Let's say she enjoys to torment me."

"Proof of a healthy brother-sister relationship, I guess?" Billy replied, voice tense. Teddy nodded and started fiddling with the box. He was starting to feel foolish, so he just turned around to put it on his bookshelf.

"So uh... How did the interview go? Figured it'd be better to ask you in person rather than just text..." As he turned around, Billy suddenly invaded his space to kiss him. Teddy groaned and let his hands fall on the writer's hips, kissing him back as deeply as Billy did. When they broke appart, Billy let out a sharp breath and smiled.

"Sorry. Couldn't bear the awkwardness." He revealed. Teddy's eyebrows shot up and he let out a small laugh. "I'm feeling better now. Phew." Teddy huffed, shaking his head as he felt his cheeks heat up. "So here we are." Billy added with a chuckle.

"Yes." Teddy nodded and pulled Billy closer again. " Here we are, and I think we agreed on a cuddle session." He reminded, finding a way back to the playful banter he was used to have with the writer. Billy nodded before leaning very close to Teddy who felt his breath catch in his throat until Billy moved away with the box of tea in his hand. He had retrieved it from the book shelf and was smiling smugly. "Nurse Billy mode?" Teddy asked fondly, and Billy's eyes twinkled.

"You bet your ass. Is it fine with you?" He asked, a smile blossoming on his face. Teddy shrugged and pointed at his eye who was almost fully healed.

"Definitely. I mean, your advice worked wonders on my eye, so I'm gonna trust you with the tea as well." Billy chuckled.

"Okay then. Prepare to be amazed by my awesome tea brewing skills." He walked towards the kitchen and looked at Teddy with intent. "Do you have a teapot or something?" He asked and the fireman nodded before opening a cupboard to hand the pot to Billy who instantly went to work. Teddy slipped his arms around his middle from behind and placed a soft kiss on his nape, making him shiver.

"Thanks for taking care of me." Teddy whispered. And he kissed Billy's nape again. The writer shuddered and leaned back against Teddy.

"Well... As your boyfriend, it's kinda my duty, isn't it?" Billy replied, turning around. He found himself in between the counter and Teddy who licked his lips, his chalcedony blue eyes burning with want. The fireman's stomach felt tight and full of knots, but it was good. He leaned in and kissed Billy on the lips this time, pushing him against the counter. Billy opened his mouth and Teddy wasted no time, pushing his tongue softly inside to lick into the other young man's mouth. They kissed for minutes until Billy slowly pushed Teddy away, who cocked an eyebrow. "Not that I'm not into it at all, but I would prefer not getting burned." The writer chuckled, his face red. He took a step away from the counter and the fire under the pot. Teddy frowned, slightly amused at the way Billy seemed to be walking on eggshells until he saw the hard bulge against Billy's zipper. He swallowed hard and looked away.

"So... Uh... You didn't tell me how the interview went this morning." He said, clearing his throat and turning back to his cupboard to retrieve some cups. He heard Billy let out a ragged breath and turned around. The young man seemed to be adjusting himself with his back to Teddy.

"It went well, if you forget the fact David went a bit overboard." He replied and turned around, his cheeks still tinted with pink. "But it's his way of doing, according to Tommy. So I'm trying to take it upon myself not to question everything he does. I mean, it's his job. Tommy and him have been working together for years, and despite a few bumps along the way, he's still around." Teddy nodded, listening along.

"You really don't like him, do you?" He said, making Billy grimace.

"I know, I'm being unfair. But I hate the way he has tried to get into my life in the past. Not to mention his incessant flirting." The writer confessed. Teddy cocked an eyebrow, squinting.

"His incessant flirting?" He repeated flatly. Billy looked up at him with a bit of surprise.

"Well, not anymore. I told him I had a boyfriend. Besides, I can't help but feel like he was only flirting with me because he could not get Tommy, even if he said otherwise. And, well, you know where I stand on that matter." Billy finished, looking down. Teddy stepped close to him and lifted his chin softly.

"Well, his loss." He said and leaned in to place a kiss on Billy's lips. The teapot started whistling and Billy pulled back.

"Tea's ready." He mumbled, a shy smile on his lips. Teddy could see that Billy wanted nothing more than to keep kissing him, and he could not agree more. Teddy felt something tug inside his chest. _I'm really going to fall for you._ He looked at the teapot and then at Billy who was rubbing his thumb against his lower lip, and he chuckled. He really wanted to kiss Billy more and to resume things where they had left them the other night. But there was still the risk of Phyla walking in on them, and she was already being insufferable as it was. So he decided against it. And she kinda had ruined the mood earlier anyway.

"Okay, wanna settle down on the couch and cuddle?" The fireman finally asked, feeling like his heart was swelling.

"Yeah, sure." Billy agreed, his voice a bit strained. And looking at the pink that was coming back on the writer's cheeks, Teddy felt sure. He removed the pot from the fire and filled two cup, the steam coming up from them in graceful curls. Billy smiled and followed him to the living room where they both sat on the couch. When they were both comfortably settled against one another, Billy placed a gentle kiss on Teddy's jaw.

"By the way, I know what we're doing for our second date." Teddy perked up at that. Billy licked his lips, a smirk slowly unfurling on his lips. "Tell me, Altman, how well can you skate?" Teddy let out a small chuckle.

"Somewhere between badly and not at all." He admitted. He felt something bubble inside his chest as he thought of himself on an ice rink. He let it out in the form of a full bodied laugh. "Oh boy. Something tells me I'm going to get home with a lot of bruises after that one." He let out, eyes shining as he looked at Billy. The young man locked eyes with him, and the way he was looking at Teddy made the fireman melt. His eyes were full of resolve, and one of the corners of his mouth was upturned in a crooked smile.

"Not if I can help it. I promise I won't let you fall." Billy whispered, and the way he said it made Teddy think he did not mean it just about the skating thing. He was about to say something when Billy suddenly frowned. "Uhm. Should I be concerned by the fact you seemed delighted of coming back home full of bruises?" He asked with a bit of a warning in his voice. Teddy blinked and realized that Billy was teasing him when the writer let out a quiet chuckle. He shook his head and pulled Billy in his lap before starting to poke him in the ribs under the protests of the young man. Billy stopped him by kissing him, still giggling.

"Told you I wasn't ticklish." He whispered.

"That won't stop me from trying." Teddy replied.

Truly, who cared about a bunch of books if the man writing them was this amazing?

***

Billy came back to his apartment when Teddy went to work. He sighed as he kicked off his shoes and hung his coat and scarf on the hook next to the door. He was still buzzing with excitement. The second time it had gotten hot and heavy between Teddy and him in a span of a few days, and he turned into a teenager. He shook his head and went to his couch, taking his laptop from the coffee table where he had left it. He opened it and went back to his writing.

A few minutes after, he was still staring at the blinking cursor on the page he had opened. The words refused to come to him. Unlike the very vivid memories of Teddy pressed against him against the kitchen counter of the fireman's apartment. Billy grunted and got up, moving to his small kitchen. He needed something to distract him. The young man started brewing tea, trying not to think too much of his sexual frustration. When his tea was ready, Billy went back to the living room just as his phone started ringing. One he saw who was calling, Billy grimaced and picked up.

"Hi mom." He greeted, a bit hesitantly.

"I was starting to wonder if you were again in the middle of a writing spree. You haven't called me." Rebecca's voice sounded a bit accusatory, but there was something else in Billy's voice that he could not quite place, something that made him sit up and frown.

"Well, I'm fine Mom, and I'm still coming for Chanukah if that's why you're calling." He said. "How are you? And Dad? Josh and Ben?" He asked, before getting up and going to his window to watch the traffic.

"We're all fine." His mother replied cheerfully. A bit too cheerfully. "And you? Is everything okay? Did you see Teddy lately?"

So that was what it was all about, Billy understood. He made a face and did his best not to snort too loud. His mother apparently heard it, because she clicked her tongue and let out THE long sigh. THE long sigh was the sigh that always left Rebecca Kaplan's mouth when she was annoyed-slash-disappointed with someone.

"Mom..." Billy started, his voice turning plaintive. His mother clicked her tongue once more, before letting out another version of THE sigh. The one that meant "I'm starting to get tired of your shit". But of course, Rebecca would never use that kind of language, choosing instead to express herself with an arsenal of sounds that instantly showed how she felt or what she was thinking immediately. Of course, not using any swear words meant that nobody was allowed to do it in the Kaplan's house. The swear jar was still looming ominously over the living room at Billy's parents' place and it was still half full all the time. It had always been like that. Jeff Kaplan was the one who put cash in it most of the time. Billy's father knew a lot of very colorful curses.

"Come on, Billy. I want to know more about the young man." Rebecca insisted. "All I know is that he is a fireman, and that he managed to get you out of your apartment." She joked. "And that he likes your books."

"Yeah..." Billy replied, rolling his eyes. "Well, he's awesome and I like him very much. I feel good. Safe around him. There, is that enough?" He asked.

"Billy Kaplan, don't you sass me. And no, that's not enough, but it's all that matters. I hope your guys are safe as well, there are so many..."

"Okay, we're definitely not going there!" Billy protested loudly. "Seriously, I had enough with Tommy."

"We're just trying to look after you." Rebecca said.

"I know. But it's a bit embarrassing." The writer went back to sit on his couch. "I feel like I'm being coddled. And as for... Sex... We're not there yet, and this is all I will say on that matter." He then took a sip of his tea as his mother chuckled.

"Alright. I won't insist then. But you do remember you can call me if you need anything, right?" Billy smiled at that. Of course he remembered.

"Yes Mom. Don't worry about me, I'm good."

"Then everything is fine."

They stayed on the phone for a good hour after that, talking about Billy's progress and his interviews, how he felt about starting to get famous, and the young man admitted that this perspective scared him a little. When Rebecca finally hung up the phone, Billy decided he was too much distracted to write anyway. The question of sex kept coming to his mind, and his mother speaking about it made it even harder to ignore after the two 'incidents' with Teddy.

God, he wanted him.

Billy groaned and looked towards the bathroom. The lube Tommy had bought him was just there. No. Just no. He refused to even use the thing, just because it was from his brother. This was just wrong. God, he hated Tommy. But Teddy had been so warm and soft, and yet still demanding in his way of kissing him, like he wanted nothing more but to eat Billy right here and then. The writer let out a loud sigh and let his hand wander down towards his crotch. He was hard just thinking about it.

With a guilty sigh, Billy unbuttoned his pants. Flashes of golden blonde hair and chalcedony blue eyes dancing behind his eyes. He slowly pushed back the waistband of his pants, squeezing himself on top of his underwear. The writer closed his eyes and let his imagination drift.

It was of course the moment somebody chose to call him. His phone started ringing, obnoxiously loud, shattering all of his fantasies. Billy groaned angrily and ran a hand over his face before checking the caller's ID.

"Seriously?" He grumbled, seeing 'D. Alleyne' displayed on his phone screen. He zipped his pants up and answered. "Yeah?" He said in an irritated tone.

"Okay, you're still pissed about this morning, I get it. Kate is mad as well, and I apologized. I'm just calling to tell you I received the first draft of the article." David announced very quickly, his voice nervous. Billy squinted.

"And why are you the one calling me? Why not Kate? It's usually her job." Billy countered. He tried to master his voice not to sound too unpleasant.

"Well, I'm your agent now. So that kind of stuff is not up to Kate anymore. I just wanted to inform you I was going to email you the draft. I'm basically happy with what they've written, but I'm waiting for you to tell me if you're okay with it. If not, just tell me what you want to change, and I'll talk to them."

Billy fell silent. David was waiting for his approval. That was new, he usually made the decisions by himself, Tommy could tell. He sat there in complete surprise for a few seconds. "Billy? Hello?" He heard at the other end of the line.

"Uh, yeah, I'm still here." He replied. "A bit surprised that you took the time to call me for this." He confessed, opening his mailbox, and sure, David's email was there waiting.

"Well, you've been very clear about what you want in our partnership. I'm just trying to play by your rules." David sounded a bit irritated, and Billy rolled his eyes before opening the mail, reading it thoroughly. The Pulse had written a witty and respectful article, and Billy could tell the journalist had read his first book, to his surprise. He had not let anything show during the interview, and it was a pleasant surprise. The journalist had edited some of his answers (which was great, considering how much Billy had been stammering) and every mentions of Tommy had been left out. Billy was a bit disappointed by that, but David's outburst was probably the reason why the journalist had decided not to mention his twin brother.

There even was another apology message at the end of the email. And Billy felt really bad about it.

"Well, it looks good to me. I think I'm going to send him a gift basket. It's the least I can do after this morning." Billy mumbled mostly to himself, but David groaned.

"Oh come on Billy..." He protested.

"No. Have you seen the poor guy's face after you went all berserk on him? I will send him a gift basket with a thank you note. You can tell him it's okay to publish the interview." The writer insisted. "Thank you David." Billy grimaced, aware that it sounded a bit too much like a dismissal. David sighed on the other end of the line.

"Okay. Will do. And I'm really sorry, it won't happen again." He promised. Billy refused to let himself be softened by this and he nodded.

"I know. Thank you again, David. Have a good night."

"See you." David replied before hanging up. Billy put the phone down next to him and sighed. The tension was still there, but it was laced with stress now. An article about him in the press. It seemed surreal. He ran a hand in his hair and let out a nervous chuckle before grabbing his phone and started texting.

  
**Me:** Okay, I've seen the article the Pulse is about to publish. And it's full of praise. It's crazy. The journalist wrote a two paragraph article before the write-up of our interview, and he read my first book and he loved it! I'm overwhelmed.  
  
**Teddy:** Seriously?? That's just great!! I'm proud of you!! We need to celebrate that!!  
  
**Me:** Easy on the exclamation points, Teddy xD  
  
**Teddy:** Sorry, I just got really excited. Oh my God Billy! I'm so buying you dinner sometimes soon.  
  
**Me:** Sounds good to me :p  
  
**Teddy:** As soon as I'm not stuck on the night shift anymore  <3  


There was a heart at the end of the text, and for some reason, it made Billy's own heart beat a bit faster. He giggled and put two hands over his face, happy to not have any witnesses at that moment. He was totally falling. And that was awesome.

**Billy:** Can't wait  <3

***

"Look at you smiling. It's gross, frankly." America said as she entered the station, her full gear on and a big smile on her face. Teddy looked up from his phone and beamed, as Nate threw his sponge in the bucket next to him and climbed down the ladder he was perched on. He was washing the windows of the station singing 'whistle while you work' under his breath.

"America!" Teddy said happily, pulling the young woman in a brief hug. "You're coming back?" He asked as Eli, Karolina and Nate gathered around them. America nodded and opened her mouth but Emma cut her short, entering the hangar right behind the young woman.

"Yes. Chief Fury called last night to inform me Chavez was coming back today. Also, you're all allowed to go back on the field as of today." She stated. "The Chief and I agreed that you probably learned your lesson right now. And since it's probably going to snow soon, we are going to need all of the people we can should something happen." She added with a sly smile. They all smiled at each other. "That doesn't mean you can go back to slacking. The equipment is not going to maintain itself. Chop chop!!" She commanded.

"Yes Captain!" They all replied, making her shake her head.

"Oh, and Altman, I understand that you're dating a little celebrity right now, but if you let me catch you with your phone again, I'll go back on Fury's decision." She added in a mocking tone, and the slight camaraderie Teddy was starting to feel for her in the past five minutes vanished. "It's all for now." She finished, and grabbed a mop before going to the 'living room'.

"Clearly, our very own snow queen hasn't learned to let it go just yet." America grunted, and they all looked at her in disbelief before starting to chuckle quietly.

"It's good to have you back." Teddy told her, patting her back gently. America huffed and grabbed a bucket.

"Yeah. It kinda took me by surprise though. I mean, I was sure Fury would leave me hanging for a month or so. But then he came to my place to explain why he did that. It was just to make an example." She sighed. They were all listening closely and she grimaced. "This is bad guys. Apparently, the Mayor is really not happy about us. I mean the fire department, not just us. He thinks we're causing more harm than good because of the wonky notification system, and the Chief is working day and night to get that fixed, but it's apparently very hard. This gas leak is really doing its best to ruin our lives. Not to mention the newspapers that are breathing down our necks because of all the mayhem, and the Bugle who keeps trying to make us look like we care more about how we look than our effectiveness..."

"Who even reads the Bugle?" Eli shrugged dismissively.

"A lot of people do now." America replied severely. "Especially since the Bucky-Gate. Even if they don't take the paper seriously anymore."

"The Bucky-Gate? Is that how people are calling it now?" Nate asked with a dark chuckle. "You'd think they'd have more respect for the man. He lost an arm, damnit." He grumbled, climbing back up on his ladder. America shook her head and tied her hair in a knot, before going to the closer truck and starting to wash the trims.

"This is how the man himself calls it." She replied. "He kept the pictures and framed them." She informed. This revelation caused another fit of giggle among the group.

"That sounds like Bucky." Eli laughed.

"No way. You've seen him?" Karolina asked, as she stopped counting the rolls of gauze. "How is he?" America smiled gently.

"Well, he's in therapy, he takes meds, but I'm sure he'll start feeling better soon." She added whimsically. "And that's all I'll say about this. He asked me to say hi. Oh, and Captain Rogers as well."

"You've seen the Captain as well?" Teddy asked hurriedly. "How is he?" America clicked her tongue.

"I'm not a post office, guys. You know you can pay a visit to the man, right? It's not like he moved halfway across the world." The young woman looked up from the tire and smirked. "Besides, I'd rather talk about you Altman. I kinda missed not having daily updates on your love life." She teased him. Teddy huffed and felt himself blush. "So you're apparently dating... What did she say? A small celebrity?"

"Aaaah. Shut up." Teddy muttered, feeling himself blush bright and a smile form on his lips. America threw her sponge in his direction.

"Awwww. Teddy's in loooove." Nate teased his colleague. Teddy looked up at him before kicking the ladder he was on. "Hey! Cut it out!" Nate laughed. Teddy shook his head his smile growing bigger. Karolina tilted her head, a sudden look of understanding on her face.

"Oh my God. You are." She beamed, and Teddy turned around to face them all.

"Look, it's a bit too early to say that." He stated. But deep down, he knew he was falling, or probably had already fallen hard. "Anyway, we should get back to work before the Captain Frost decides to keep us on truck washing duty for the rest of the year." He then went to the other side of the hangar to sort out the equipment. He started filling the bags with first aid kits. But yeah, Billy was sweet and caring. And hot.

Very hot, Teddy thought and licked his lips. It was the first time he felt something like that for someone since the disaster that had been Greg. That felt awesome, and at the same time scary. But the good kind of scary. Billy was not like Greg. He was always affectionate, always kind and going out of his way to take care of Teddy. And he never once mentioned sex, except that night when Teddy was sick, and it was only to stop things from going too far, which was also why Teddy had started to fall a little bit faster. Billy wanted him in full possession of his faculties, and had not wanted to take advantage of his weakness. But that had ignited a spark inside Teddy. He had wanted Billy that night, and had not stopped wanting him ever since. He could not help but think of the way the writer's pants hugged his legs, of the roundness of his ass, how firm it had felt under his fingers as well as his shoulders that were surprisingly broad for his thin frame, highlighting the narrowness of his waist...

And that hunger that had flashed inside Billy's eyes both times. Teddy felt his pants tighten dangerously and he blinked, looking around him. All of his colleagues were minding their own business, and Teddy ran a hand over his face, holding a nervous chuckle back. He did not need to get caught with an erection at his place of work.

But Teddy did not get the time to dwell on these thoughts. Because the siren started echoing throughout the station, making them all jump into action, moving the brooms and buckets away from the trucks as the Captain Frost exited her office, tying her hair in a tight bun.

"Gear up quickly!" She commanded, and they all nodded, before exchanging smiles. After nearly a week of doing nothing but wait around the station while the others were saving lives, they were dying for action.

"Let's do this!" Nate exclaimed, and they all cheered in agreement.

***

Teddy watched as the Captain Frost tried to handle the press that was once again snapping pictures at them. The police was there as well, trying to handle the crowd and the people that had been moved from the building. It had been a simple kitchen fire, and once again, the fire department had made a fool of themselves. Nate was sitting on the backstep of the truck, his helmet in hand. He looked like he wanted to murder someone, America ranting at him. Eli walked closer and made a little face when he saw Emma bark back at the journalist, telling them to move along and to let them do their job.

"Tripping him in the stairs was stupid, Nate! For fuck's sake!"

"He shoved me into the wall first!"

And it went on and on and on, until Eli let out a loud groan and turned around to face their two teammates.

"Enough! Just shut up, the both of you! After tonight, we can consider ourselves lucky if we're not getting fired." He snarled. He looked at Nate. "Is it really so hard to ignore Drake?"

"Oh, fuck you Eli! Last time I checked, you were not the boss of me!" Nate replied and got up before walking away. He kicked Eli's helmet on his way and the young man shook his head.

"Well done, Nathaniel, really mature!" Eli shouted, drawing attention from the journalists and Emma whose eyes went big and then narrow. Nate turned around and walked back towards Eli, determination all over his face.

"Oh yeah? Wanna settle this once and for all, Elijah?" He snarled and pushed Eli. Teddy leaped into action immediately, putting himself in between the two of them. America grabbed Nate by the arm and pulled him away while he kept on trying to get to Eli. Teddy put his hands flat on Eli's chest to stop him.

"Guys!" He shouted. "Cut it out!"

"Go fuck yourself Bradley! At least I didn't let my girl run away with another guy and then pretend everything is fine!" America pulled Nate again, and Teddy immobilized Eli, who tried to rush past him.

"Watch your mouth Richards!" Eli shouted furiously, pointing his finger at Nate. "You don't know what you're talking about, so you better shut the hell up!"

"Guys!" Teddy shouted, but it was no use.

"Yeah? That's not what you were telling me the other night, when you got drunk and started whining about how you were too stupid to even try to contact her and how you regret it now that she's with Shepherd!" Nate yelled.

"Okay enough!" America grunted and grabbed Nate firmly before leading him away. Teddy kept his hold on Eli who was struggling hard to break free, he only calmed down once Nate was out of view. Eli shoved at Teddy harshly.

"Let me go." He groaned before putting his clenched fist to his forehead. He took a deep breath, his jaw clenched. "If you tell that to your boyfriend..." Teddy made a face, incredulous.

"Seriously Eli? You really want me to get mad at you as well?" He asked firmly. "It's your life, man. Nobody needs to know about this. This isn't my problem, nor Billy's." He said. "So don't put him into this, it's not his fault that Kate's with Tommy now."

"What the fuck were you both thinking?" Emma hissed as she came closer to them. "Where is Richards?" She asked, looking around.

"America pulled him away." Teddy replied. "It's okay, we stopped the fight." He added and Emma looked him up and down.

"Yeah, lucky for you, you didn't get another black eye." She mocked and turned to Eli. "And you, rest assured that I won't let that go." She said and turned around to look for Nate. "Richards!" Teddy heard her call and he looked back at Eli.

"Wouldn't dream of it." The young man growled between his teeth. He then left the scene as well and Teddy sighed as he saw cameras flashing all around the security ribbon. More front pages for the fire department, he thought grimly as he picked up his helmet and went to join Karolina who was chatting with some police officers.

"Hey what happened back there?" She asked him.

"More drama." Teddy simply replied.

***

"You two are forbidden to go on the field until I say otherwise. Also, you're now working in pair. Whatever he does, you do, and the other way around!" The Captain Frost declared coldly, standing in front of Nate and Eli. They were both taller than her, but in that moment, they seemed small. "Nobody cares about your feelings on the field. They only care about your abilities in saving someone's life, and tonight? It was the shittiest behavior I've seen. I don't care that you hate Bobby Drake." She turned to Nate. "And I don't care that your ex is now leading a happy life with a supermodel. Yes, that sucks, that's life, deal with it." She stated firmly. "Maybe Rogers let you get away with all of this crap, but that won't happen with me. I was supposed to let you go off night shift and assign you to day shift starting next week, but I'm gonna change the plans for you two. Actually, I'm going to assign you to a new squad." She stated and lifted her hand when she saw them open their mouths in order to protest. "Silence. You've been at the center of everything that went wrong lately. I think a little time apart will be good for you all. So, Altman, Chavez and Dean you'll start on Monday on Danvers's team. Wilson's will join you two." She then told Eli and Nate. She waited a few seconds to make sure she got her point across and nodded. "Now hit the showers."

When they were done, they met in the living room, still humid and looking like they had just buried someone. Teddy sighed and went to pour himself some coffee. It was already seven in the morning, and he was exhausted. Nate went to sit in a corner, putting his earbuds in, his jet black hair sticking to his forehead. Eli went to the opposite corner and turned his back on them before plugging his earbuds in as well.

"Seriously?" America grunted unhappily, before sitting down by the round table in the middle of the room. Karolina went to sit by her side as Teddy just stayed up, his blue eyes twinkling with anger. He was exhausted, and wanted nothing more than to go back home to go to sleep. He was pissed at Eli and Nate. And it got worse when Karolina sighed, thumbing at the screen of her phone.

"And there are articles already." She grumbled before throwing her phone on the table. "Welp. Fury's gonna be mad." The young woman sighed, stretching. Teddy huffed and sat down. It was all going downhill, and he hated that. He had wanted to join the station to try and get to know what kind of man his father was, and what his environment was like. He had questions about all the medals he had seen in his grandparents's house, and about who Mark Vell really was. He was a legend amongst the firefighter community, and yet had a very poor reputation in his everyday life. And now that Teddy had finally managed to get closer to the people that could tell him more about his father, he found out that most of them were retired, and the only two people that could have told him more about him were not working at the station anymore. And the fight between Nate and Eli did not do anything to improve his mood. He let out a heavy sigh that cause America and Karolina to look at him with round eyes.

"Something bugging you?" America asked, leaning back in her chair.

"Yes. These two." Teddy replied, nodding towards Eli and Nate. "They couldn't have picked a better moment to fight." He said with irony. "It's not like we didn't have enough problems already. With the journalists giving us a bad name and stuff. I won't just sit here doing nothing." He decided and got up, the two young women looking at him with knitted brows. Teddy grabbed Eli's shoulder and shook it. Eli frowned and removed his earplugs, anger blooming over his features.

"What?" He grumbled. Teddy lifted his forefinger to tell him to wait. He then went to Nate and turned his chair away from the wall. The young man yelped.

"What the fuck, Teddy?!" He jumped to his feet and yanked the chord of his earplugs. Teddy straightened up and crossed his arms, jaw clenched and frowning.

"You two. With me in the gym. Now." He commanded. "I'm tired of this all. So you're going to work all that anger out. We're supposed to be friends and teammates. And the only thing we're doing is tanking the station reputation."

"Yeah, right." Nate chuckled mockingly, sitting back down and Teddy locked eyes with him.

"I said you're coming with me." Teddy insisted. "Get up Nate. Or I'm going to drag you there." Nate made a face, as if he did not believe Teddy. But then the young man took a step towards him and he jumped to his feet, muttering angrily as he walked towards the door. "You too Eli. Don't make me repeat myself." Teddy demanded.

The three of them went out of the living room. And when he exited, Teddy heard America speak.

"Wow, Altman. You never cease to surprise me" She said in an admiration tone.

"Well, hold on to that thought. Just in case." Teddy replied with a wary smile, before exiting behind Eli.

***

"Are you ready to do this?" Billy asked as he finished tying the laces of his skates, a mischievous smile on his face as Teddy looked at the ice rink and the people that were gliding in circle. The fireman looked at the writer, grimacing comically. But this was what he needed. Just an evening away from the drama of the station.

"Sooo not ready." He whined, sitting down to remove his shoes. "What are the probabilities of me falling on my ass and breaking my tailbone again?" Billy flashed him a big smile that made Teddy's breath catch in his throat. The young man had been glowing ever since he had joined him for their date. The reason behind this was the article that the Pulse had written. They had written about how Billy was humble and passionate, and even if he had seemed nervous at first, it had melted as soon as the writer had started speaking about his book. They had even called him charming at some point, and on that, Teddy could not agree more. Billy extended his hand to help him up.

"I told you I'm not letting you fall, remember?" He said. "I promised." There was a certain weight in the way Billy said those words again. Like an oath as he looked up to meet the fireman's gaze, his eyes bright with resolve. Warmth spread in Teddy's belly and he nodded, letting the writer lead him towards the rink, as he was wobbling slightly on the blades. Billy stepped on the ice, holding Teddy's hand. "Come on. Whenever you're ready." He encouraged kindly, his warm brown eyes twinkling.

"You know, I'm really sorry about the ice cream. There, consider yourself avenged?" Teddy bargained with humor as he put one foot on the ice carefully.

"Not even close, Altman. We rented these skates for an hour. And an hour we shall have." Billy chuckled, and his grip turned firmer around Teddy's hand, his other hand coming to grab the fireman's forearm to steady him as soon as his other foot was, surprising Teddy with his strength. But that did not stop his from losing balance.

"Oh shoot! Crap!" Teddy gasped, but Billy held him up with a smile.

"See? I'm not letting you fall." The writer said quietly, a soft smile adorning his face for a few seconds. "Come on." He whispered and started gliding very slowly. Teddy started shuffling awkwardly to follow him, the writer's grip never loosening around his wrists. Billy kept the both of them close to the fence in case Teddy needed something to catch on. "It's okay, you're doing good." Billy said.

They kept going like this for a few minutes until Teddy relaxed and started gliding more confidently, starting to enjoy himself. He looked at Billy who was smiling warmly. God, he looked so beautiful right now. His hair was sticking in every direction, and his nose and cheeks were tinted pink from the cold, his eyes bright and watery from the cold. Teddy was so awestruck for a moment that he did not mind his footing and lost balance with a yelp. But Billy did not let him fall. He instead pulled him close, making them both spin as he tried to remain up, the both of them laughing.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry." Teddy chuckled, locking eyes with the writer. He licked his lips as he suddenly registered how Billy was pressing against him. And that was when his brain decided to replay the events from the other night, making him feel hot, his face turning bright red. "Yeah... So... I'm not so good at skating." He croaked, his throat becoming narrow at Billy's silence. Billy looked up, and a flash of hunger passed through his eyes, which only made Teddy feel hotter. "God, Billy." He whispered, and his hand cupped the writer's cheek. He leaned in, just as Billy pulled him closer and kissed him, barely a brush of the lips, but enough for Teddy to realize.

He was not falling. He had fallen fast and hard, and that made his throat go narrow and his stomach flip. He pulled back and looked into Billy's eyes, the perspective of being in love with him scaring him deeply, the shadow of Greg still looming over his shoulder. But then he saw the look on Billy's face and remembered that night in the bar, on Broadway during the open mic night. And that was all he needed. The weight on his shoulders suddenly lifted and he let out a shaky breath, feeling his eyes pool with tears. He could do this, he thought.

"When we're done here, wanna come back home with me?" He asked, blushing at the implications behind the question. Billy licked his lip.

"What time do you start work tomorrow?" He said. "Because I live closer to the station than you do... You would save time in the morning..." He pointed out, his face just as red as the fireman's. "I mean... If you want to, you could stay the night."

"I'm totally gonna do the walk of shame tomorrow, aren't I?" Teddy asked with a chuckle, and Billy looked at him boldly, eyes hooded.

"Please..." He asked, voice husky as his hands traveled up Teddy's chest to settle on his shoulder, his thumb finding the side of the fireman's neck to trace circles on it. "You can't say things like that. Not in public."

And it was Teddy's turn to feel hunger. Something hot and heavy settled in his lower stomach and he clenched his jaw. He let out a shaky breath and looked around. True, now was not the best time for any kind of sexual innuendos, but the situation made him want Billy even more.

"Let's go back." Billy whispered, which made Teddy look at him with wide eyes.

"Are you sure?" The fireman asked, a shiver running up his spine. He wanted that, badly. Billy nodded, his eyes burning.

"Please." The writer said, and this time, his voice was not shaking. It was firm and enticing, raspier than it usually was, like a growl. Teddy blinked and nodded as his stomach went tight.

"Okay, let's go." He agreed, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. They both started moving towards the exit of the rink, Billy holding Teddy in a vice-like grip in case he lost balance, his whole body tense as he led the fireman along. They gave the skates back, put their shoes back while trying not to blush to much at the interrogative look they got from the man behind the counter, and they left.

***

Unlocking the door proved itself difficult for Billy, since he was shaking like a leaf because of his nervous state. He only managed it on the third try and he got inside, followed by Teddy, who was still sporting an impressive blush that made the writer want to discover how far it went down his body. He removed his scarf and coat and hung it on the hook before turning around to face the fireman, who was looking around the place with interest as he put his coat next to Billy's. Billy blinked and realized it was the first time Teddy had been in his apartment and he shuffled on his feet awkwardly. All the desire he had felt at the ice rink had slowly melted into unbearable nervousness on the way to his place.

"So... This is where I live." He declared, his voice shaking. It was a lot smaller than Teddy's warehouse apartment, but it was all Billy needed. Teddy flashed him a kind smile.

"I like it. It's cozy." He commented, looking at the brown couch and the antique looking chair next to the coffee table. Billy ran a hand in his hair and smiled.

"I can... Give you a tour? Do you want to drink something?" He started making a bee line towards the small kitchen and opening the fridge. "I've got juice? Maybe some wine in the cupboards..." He stopped when he felt Teddy's hand in the small of his back, warm and soft. He turned around and stopped his fidgeting when he saw Teddy studying him with his chalcedony eyes. And the desire came back in full force, making him feel like fire was dancing on his skin, starting from the place Teddy was touching him.

"It's okay Billy." Teddy said in a reassuring tone. "I'm nervous as well. You know we don't have to do anything, right?." He added. The writer bit his lips and looked straight into the fireman's eyes.

"I know. But I want to..." He whispered. Teddy nodded and took a deep ragged breath, his eyes burning with need. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Billy's lips. Billy who let out a quiet groan as he wrapped his arms around Teddy's neck and started kissing him hungrily. Teddy pulled him closer until they were pressed flush and he buried his hand in the writer's unruly hair as his tongue entered his mouth. At some point Teddy lifted Billy who wrapped his legs around the other young man's waist, his blood rushing south and making his cock stir and strain against the zipper of his jeans. He could feel Teddy, his body firm and hot against him, and his erection digging in his thigh. Billy groaned and broke the kiss before going for Teddy neck and biting on his pulse point, enticing a moan out of the fireman's mouth. Teddy just craned his neck to give him better access, and he lost balance, his back connecting with the wall behind him. Billy yelped and laughed as he unwrapped his legs from around Teddy and helped him up, before starting to kiss him again, the both of them chuckling as Billy pulled at Teddy's sweater frantically. Teddy pulled it off and threw it on the floor, following Billy as he went out of the kitchen. The fireman pulled Billy back to kiss him some more, as they moved towards the bedroom.

"Wait." Teddy demanded, stopping Billy, who came to a halt before opening the door. Billy stopped and looked at him. Teddy licked his lips and kissed the writer again. "I want to make sure you're really on board with this. I want you like crazy, and not because you're that writer I adore. But because you're you, Billy. I just want to make sure you know that." He whispered. "I truly feel something for you." He admitted, just to get it out of his chest. Billy cocked his head, eyes wide as he pulled Teddy into a deep kiss.

"Well, that's perfect." The writer whispered as he slipped his hands under Teddy's shirt, making him shiver. "Because... I truly feel something as well. God, Teddy you have no idea..." He mumbled before kissing him again. And that was true. Billy's heart started pounding at his semi confession, a hint of fear inside the whirlpool of excitation. Teddy felt something for him. Him, Billy, and not just because of his books or the fact that he was Tommy's twin, and that dissipated all of the remaining traces of doubts he had at the back of his mind. So he kissed Teddy again, harder than before to tell him what he could not voice just yet, delighted to feel the fireman kiss him as deeply as he did.

"Okay then." Teddy breathed against his lips and invaded his space, pushing him against the door. Billy once again attacked his neck, trying to pull his shirt off at the same time. Teddy pulled back and held his arms up, and Billy managed to remove his shirt, groaning when he saw Teddy's chest come into view. His flat stomach, the v-line of his waist that Billy desperately wanted to lick now, the blonde curls of his happy trail that disappeared in the waistband of his jeans, and the dusting of hair on his chest, golden and so thin that it was almost impossible to see. Billy kissed Teddy's adam's apple and slowly went down his chest, taking one of the fireman's nipples in his mouth and making him gasp as he brushed his tongue against it. Teddy let out a quiet moan and looked down as Billy kissed his way down his stomach. He groaned when the writer palmed at the bulge jutting out from the front of his pants before unbuckling his belt.

"Is it okay?" The writer asked to make sure, looking up at Teddy, his fingers stopping on the button's of the young man's jeans. Teddy nodded.

"Yes. It's okay." He replied, a warm feeling uncurling in his stomach as Billy pulled his zipper down and hooked his fingers in the waistband on his jeans, pulling them down to reveal Teddy's briefs and the hard member distorting the fabric underneath. Billy stopped for a second, feeling his cheeks go ablaze. It had been a while since the last time he had been intimate with someone, so he just leaning in and kissed Teddy's thigh, making him gasp quietly. He ran his lips along the inside of Teddy's leg, and heard the young man put his palm against the wall above him. Billy looked up and his eyes connected with Teddy's. The young man was looking at him with hunger and need, his irises twinkling, and his cheeks red. Billy felt his cock strain against his zipper and he got back up on his feet before kissing Teddy again, wrapping his arms around his neck. Teddy pulled him close and pushed his tongue inside his mouth slowly, his hand roaming on Billy's back before coming to tug at his sweater, pulling it off of him along with his shirt. Billy stood there, shirtless and breathing heavily as Teddy looked at him, his mouth slightly open. Billy let out a shaky sigh and ran a hand in his hair, making his unruly locks stick in every direction.

"Bedroom?" He asked quietly. Teddy nodded, his stomach going tight.

"Yes." He whispered, and Billy opened the door behind his back, taking Teddy's hand in his own as the fireman kicked off his shoes and pants. Billy pulled him along and made him sit on the bed, standing between his legs. Teddy leaned in and kissed his stomach, feeling it tense a bit under his lips as he undid the writer's pants and pulled them down, along with his underwear. He took a little moment to admire Billy's naked form, his well defined legs, and his erection standing, cut, thick and hard between his thighs. Teddy ran the tip of his fingers along his sides, before curling his right hand around the writer's cock, licking his lips as his fingers barely closed around it. He gave it a soft tug and kissed Billy's stomach again, feeling his fingers run through his hair as he kissed down. He looked up and licked the underside of Billy's cock before taking him in, his lips stretching around the shaft.

"Fuck..." Billy let out, suddenly feeling Teddy's warm and wet mouth engulf him. He caressed Teddy's face as the young man sucked slowly, making his knees buckle slightly. He put a hand on Teddy's shoulder to hold himself up, moans slowly finding their way out of his mouth, his brown eyes never leaving Teddy's chalcedony ones. It was so good, and Billy felt sweat start to gather on his skin, Teddy taking him deeper and taking his balls in his hand. "Please Teddy...." He moaned, squeezing his shoulder. The young man pulled away and Billy kissed him, pushing him against his pillows. "Let me..." He whispered and went to lie in between Teddy's legs, pulling his briefs down. The fireman's cock bobbed out of his underwear, hitting his lower stomach with a dull sound and Billy stopped to take in the view. Teddy was just as thick as he was, but longer, and uncut, which surprised Billy for a second. Teddy cleared his throat shyly.

"I hope this won't be a problem..." He muttered, blushing bright red as Billy eyed his member. The writer shook his head.

"No, it's fine, don't worry." He promised before he kissed the tip of Teddy's cock, his eyes never leaving Teddy's who let out a ragged breath before the writer took him in. As Teddy's length filled his mouth, Billy reached down and took his own cock in hand, starting to stroke himself while he started bobbing his head up and down. Teddy's right arm flew upwards and he covered his eyes with his wrist. He could not stop the sounds that were coming out of his mouth, desperate little gasps and moans that encouraged Billy to try and take him deeper.

"Oh god Billy..." Teddy let out, his tone broken as he felt the orgasm starting to build. "I'm gonna come." He said, pushing his wrist harder against his eyes. Billy pulled back, giving a soft lick up the length of his cock, which made his toes curl as the writer went to suck one of his balls into his mouth before placing his lips on the root of his length, darting his tongue to lick at the junction of his cock and balls, while his hand started moving up and down his shaft. Teddy gripped the pillow hard under his head with both hands as his orgasm built up and up until he finally came with a roar, feeling his cum spill on his chest and abs, wincing when he felt some land on his right eye.

"Oh my god." He heard Billy gasp as the blood rushed to his face. "Okay. Okay, hang on." The writer said, barely holding his laughter back. Teddy opened his left eye, seeing Billy tumble off of the bed to go through the door in front of them and coming back with a box of tissues. Teddy took it with an awkward chuckle and started wiping himself up, his cheeks hot and red.

"I'm sorry. It's not always like that." He said sheepishly, his eye stinging a bit as he wiped it clean. Billy waited until he was done before kissing him, still laughing at the back of his throat. "Way to kill the mood. I'm sorry." Teddy apologized again, kissing the writer back.

"No, no. Don't worry. It's okay. It happens. You don't need to apologize." Billy replied and held Teddy's face between his hands, rubbing his thumbs on his cheekbones as he spoke. "And truth be told, it was kinda hot." Teddy ducked his head down and ran a hand on his face, giggling. "Your eye is a bit red though." Billy remarked, and the fireman whipped his head back towards him before they both burst out in laughter. Teddy pulled him into his lap and poked him in the ribs playfully.

"And whose fault is that, uh?" He joked before he kissed Billy again. "Can I touch you?" He asked gently in between kisses. Billy nodded and Teddy curled his hand around the writer's softening erection. "Do you have some lube?" Teddy asked, brushing his lips along Billy's jaw.

"Bedside cabinet." Billy whispered and Teddy leaned towards it, holding Billy in his lap as he retrieved the bottle. He drizzled some on the writer's cock and started stroking him gently. Billy moaned at the warm and cold sensation that engulfed his member and he gripped Teddy's shoulders tight as the fireman bit his neck while his hand moved up and down. His orgasm built really fast and he gasped against Teddy's neck as his balls grew tight. "Teddy... Please... I'm gonna..."

Teddy kissed him hard and gripped his cock tighter, devouring his mouth as Billy toppled over the edge, spilling over Teddy's hand and both their lower stomachs. He sat in the fireman's lap, panting and feeling boneless.

"You okay there?" Teddy asked softly, placing soft kisses all over his face. Billy let out a little laugh.

"I'll tell you when my brain is not goo." He replied, letting the afterglow of his orgasm wash over him. Teddy caressed his face and looked down.

"We made quite a mess. Let's take a shower together? When you're ready?" He asked tenderly. Billy reached up and grabbed Teddy's face before kissing him. He pulled back and locked eyes with Teddy, once again rubbing his thumbs on his cheekbones. Teddy went red and blinked, his heart skipping a bit. He grabbed Billy's wrists and squeezed gently, overwhelmed with what he saw in the writer's eyes. He felt his throat go narrow and he tried to swallow the lump that had formed there. And then he laughed. His whole body shaking as he pulled Billy even closer. "Billy Kaplan. You're truly amazing." He declared as Billy laughed along with him. It felt good, no, it felt even better and Teddy could not help but roll Billy over, settling between his thighs as he kissed him, making even more of a mess between their bellies. They lost track of time after this, and it was only after very late that they fell asleep, curled around each other.

***

They had seen them at the ice rink. They could not believe their eyes. Seeing him with the other had broken their heart. The shadow had followed the couple until they had entered the building and had followed them quietly, waiting until the lights had been turned off inside. Lucky for them, they had left the door unlocked, and it was easy for the shadow to enter the apartment without making a noise, double checking to make sure no one was awake. They took in the view of the small apartment, rage and jealousy burning like an acidic poison low in their belly. They walked slowly to the bedroom, the door left ajar and recoiled when they saw him curled around the other.

No. He had no right. He had no right to do that to them. The jealousy swelled so big that burning tears spilled past their eyes. They needed to punish him. Yes. Punish him. They went back to the living room and started exploring, rummaging through the papers on the coffee table, opening the laptop and huffing with frustration when they saw it was protected by a password. He would not get away with this.

The shadow looked carefully through the shelf on the wall, contemplating the idea of shredding each and every book that was slitting there. But that was not enough. He deserved worse for what he had done. They looked around once more and went to sit down as the rage made their head dizzy.

And there it was. The tool to his undoing.

As they looked up, running a hand through their hair and their face, wiping the tears away, the shadow saw a little object. They leaned closer and a grin spread on their lips.

Because, right in front of their eyes, a flashdrive sat right next to the laptop. And on this flashdrive, written in capital letters, "B'S BOOK".

***

To say Kate was stressed was an understatement. She was buzzing, her skin prickling as she ran up the stairs to Billy's apartment, a feat she would probably gloat about later since she was wearing high heels, but now, she did not even think about that. She finally reached Billy's front door, clutching the rolled up newspaper in her palm. She reached up to knock and frowned when the door opened as soon as her knuckles touched it. She recoiled slightly and entered, looking as far inside as she could.

"Billy?" She called, bracing herself. Teddy appeared in the living room, wearing nothing but a towel, hair and skin still humid from the shower. They both froze and stared at each other, like two deers caught in headlights. That explained the door left open, the young woman thought as she looked away, biting her lips as a grin started to form on them. Teddy clutched the top of the towel and started walking backwards, blushing bright red, all the way down to his chest.

"I'll go... Tell Billy you're here." He babbled as he retreated quickly. Kate hummed in agreement, still holding her back her grin and looking at the wall next to her. She heard a few panicked sounds in Billy's room and she let out a little chuckle, and a few seconds after, Billy came out, looking disheveled, clothes thrown over him in a hurry. He was just as red as Teddy was and Kate winked at him.

"Hi there." She said, smiling at her best friend. The young man gave her a pleading look.

"Please, Kate. Don't." He demanded and she held up her hands in surrender, suddenly remembering she had more important things to discuss anyway.

"Okay." She agreed and walked over the coffee table. "I just wanted you to hear it from me first." She said as she unfolded the paper. "It seems like you're on Brock's list. Well. You and Tommy. I called David about that and he's already planning a strategy..." She started and Billy blinked, confused.

"Hold on, hold on. What are you saying?" He asked and looked at the newspaper she had put on the table. And sure enough, there was a picture of Tommy on the front page, taken the night they had all gone out at the open mic night, and at the bottom of it, a shot of Billy and Teddy at the ice rink, pressed close. All the blood drained from Billy's face and he grabbed it. "What the fuck?" He gasped, looking at Kate who was grimacing. "Since when am I worthy of the front page? Tommy I can understand, but me?" He blurted, as Teddy stepped out of his bedroom, looking at the two of them, completely taken aback by the outburst. Kate looked calm and collected as she took the paper from his hand.

"This is a vendetta. But don't worry. David and Tommy are on it. I think Brock did not really like the way David and you stormed out the other day. And he chose the family angle to attack you."

"This guy really is an asshole." Billy grunted and looked at Teddy. "I'm sorry." Teddy tilted his head. "You and I made it to the front page of the Bugle." He explained with a grimace. Teddy's eyes went wide and he started laughing, surprising both Kate and Billy.

"For a second I thought something serious had happened." He said softly. He went put his hand on Billy's shoulder softly. "Nobody takes this paper seriously since the Bucky-Gate. Don't worry. If anything, they're just burrying themselves deeper by doing that. Chill, Billy. It's okay, I don't mind." Billy made a face.

"I do. I don't want my private life to be exposed like that." He mumbled angrily. "I hate being in the spotlight." Teddy pulled him closer and put a hand on his cheek.

"Hey. It's like I told you. Nobody reads this paper seriously anymore. Nobody will care. If anything, they will be the ones having a bad name for that, not you." Kate nodded.

"Besides, Brock made his last mistake. I think Jameson is gonna fire him after that. A little bird told me he was furious after that article Brock wrote about you last time." She folded the paper and shoved it in her bag. "I simply wanted to tell you first. And hopefully stop you from freaking out." She said softly.

"Okay, okay." Billy sighed, relaxing slightly. Teddy nodded.

"Are you good?" He asked. His phone started ringing, _Zombie_ ringing loudly and he sighed. "This is my alarm. I gotta go." He said. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked again.

"Yes." Billy replied with a smile. "I'll be fine. Go save people." He added with a chuckle. Teddy nodded again.

"Okay. See you later." He said and placed a soft kiss on Billy's lips. He then grabbed his coat and went to the door. "It was nice seeing you Kate." He called as he went out.

"You too, Teddy!" He closed the door and Kate turned to Billy with a big smile. Billy sighed and sat down on his chair, feeling drained. He ran a hand over his face and looked at Kate, who sat in front of him. Her phone pinged and she started texting hurriedly.

"So Tommy and David are in Jameson's office. Come, I'm treating you breakfast." She said and patted his knee. "Don't worry about it, Billy. Everything will be fine." She promised.

"Okay. But I need to call my mom first." He said. "Before she freaks out." He added with a sigh. Kate hummed.

"I don't think she'll care. Your mother doesn't strike me as the kind of woman that pays attention to gossips." Kate said.

"Oh, it's not about the gossip page. It's about me dating Teddy. I never used the word 'dating' while speaking with her. I'd rather she heard it from me first." Billy grabbed his phone and walked to the kitchen as he dialed the number.

"Alright." Kate said and got up. "Tell her I said hi."

***

Simon Williams entered his big apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, whistling softly. He placed the bag of groceries down on the counter and removed his baseball cap and sunglasses. He moved through the hallway quickly to enter the living room, freezing when he saw his wife sitting by the window, curled up in a leather chair, sobbing quietly. He instantly went to kneel in front of her.

"Honey? Hey, what's wrong?" He asked softly as he caressed her face. She looked up at him, sniffing, and he smoothed his thumbs over her cheekbones, removing the tears that were falling. She clutched the newspaper tighter against her chest and took a big shaky breath.

"He sings, Simon." She said and sobbed again. Simon frowned, confused and studied her for a second.

"Who sings, Baby?" He asked her as gently as he could, his heart breaking to see her like this.

"Tommy. He sings." She hiccuped and he sat down with her, pulling her tight against him and rocking her.

"Oh, Wanda..." He muttered, pressing soft kisses against her temple. "It's okay. It's okay. Don't be sad..." He tried to comfort her, but she pressed herself closer to him.

"I'm not sad." She said and looked up at him as a smile spread on her lips. "I'm happy. He's like me. He's like me." She repeated and started sobbing again. "I'm so proud. Of both of them." She got up and went to grab a book on the shelf, caressing the name 'Billy Kaplan' on the cover before pressing it on her chest along with the newspaper. Simon got up and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll go buy a frame." He whispered, wrapping and arm around her. "And we'll put the picture on the wall, okay?" Wanda looked up at him.

"Thank you." She said as she fisted the front of his shirt. "I love you." Simon hugged her tight.

"I love you too, honey. Don't worry. Someday, you'll get to meet your sons. Your father is not eternal." He promised, clenching his jaw as his throat narrowed.

"I hope you're right." Wanda simply replied as she put her face in the crook of his neck, letting his presence calm her down.


End file.
